Industrial Lubrication and Tribology

TESTING PROCEDURES FOR GEAR LUBRICANTS WITH THE FZG TEST RIG
K. Michaelis
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To cite this document:
K. Michaelis, (1974),"TESTING PROCEDURES FOR GEAR LUBRICANTS WITH THE FZG TEST RIG", Industrial
Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 26 Iss 3 pp. 91 - 94
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 TESTING PROCEDURES FOR
GEAR LUBRICANTS
WITH THE FZG TEST RIG
by K. Michaelis, Dipl.-Eng.

The FZG test rig has become, w i t h i n the past t w e n t y years, a

very i m p o r t a n t method f o r evaluating and testing d i f f e r e n t types
of gear lubricants such as greases, mineral and synthetic oils,
hydraulic fluids, ATF-fluids, and hypoid oils. The test can evaluate
scuffing and w e a r resistance in gear drives.
There are about 100 FZG machines w o r k i n g in laboratories all
over the w o r l d . These have a centre distance of 91∙5 m m and
the standard test A / 8 . 3 / 9 0 , standardized in D I N 51 354(1) is
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recommended as a basic testing procedure for gear oils, eg in the

A G M A - S t a n d a r d s and by t h e Coordinating European Council
(CEC).
H o w e v e r , there seems t o be some confusion concerning
different test procedures w h i c h can be carried out on this rig.
To help t o clear the air, t h e author deals, in this article, w i t h
the additional procedures t h a t can be carried out.

Standard Test Table 1 . Geometry of Test Gears Tooth Profile A, C, and L

THE standard test A / 8 . 3 / 9 0 is
carried out using the tooth profile numerical value
symbols dimension
A (see Table 1 and Fig 1) at a L
A C
pitch line velocity of v = 8∙3 m/s
Centre distance ab 91∙5 91∙5 91∙5 mm
and oil sump temperature T = 90 °C
at the beginning of every load step. Tooth width b 20 20 20 mm
The testing procedure has been pinion db1 73∙2 73∙2 73∙2 mm
described 1,2,3 and need not be Pitch diameter
repeated here. wheel db2 1098 109∙8 109∙8 mm
Values of scuffing load for straight pinion dk1 88∙77 82∙64 91∙20 mm
Addendum diameter
mineral oils, mild and heavy EP oils,
wheel dk2 112∙50 118∙64 111∙92 mm
at a pitch line velocity of 8 ∙ 3 m/s
Module m 4∙5 4∙5 6 mm
are obtained from this test.
pinion Z1 16 16 12 —
Number of teeth
Special Procedures wheel Z2 24 24 16 —
A/16.6/90 pinion X1 0∙8635 0∙1817 0∙6 —
This test is carried out with tooth Profile displacement
profile A at increased speed (v = wheel X2 —0∙5 0∙1817 —0∙3283 —
16∙6 m/s), commencing oil temp­ Pressure angle 20 20 20 deg.
erature T = 90 °C. 22∙5 22∙5 22∙5 deg.
The number of revolutions per recess path e1 14∙7 9∙7 16∙6 mm
load stage is kept constant with Length of
respect to the standard test so that approach path e2 3∙3 9∙7 2∙6 mm
running time in every load stage Max. sliding velocity Vg1 0∙67v* 0∙443v 0∙754v m/s
decreases to 7∙5 min. Further, pinion Pk1 5∙96√F+ 4∙9 √F 6∙87√F kp/mm 2
operating conditions are similar to Hertzian stress at tip of
standard test A/8.3/90. wheel Pk2 4∙96√F 6∙96√F 4∙88√F kp/mm 2
This special test can be carried
out to give values of scuffing load * pitch line velocity [m/s]
at increased pitch line velocity F+ tooth load normal to the flank [kp]

INDUSTRIAL LUBRICATION AND TRIBOLOGY, May/June, 1974 91

 pH = Hertzian stress
fL = Load distribution factor
f H = Auxiliary factor for
determination of PH
= reduced radius of
curvature
s = Specific sliding
v g = Sliding velocity
v = sumvelocity
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v = 16∙6 m/s as required, eg for

calculating scuffing resistance
according to Niemann-Seitzinger 4, 6.
In general, this test gives an
increase in severity of test procedure
compared with the standard test of
t w o load stages3.
L/16.6/90.
This special test is carried out with
tooth profile L (see Table 1 and Fig.
2) at pitch line velocity v = 16∙6
m/s and commencing oil temperature
T = 90 °C.
Due to the increased sliding at the
tip of the pinion, it is possible in this
special test to differentiate between and a commencing temperature of Other M e t h o d s
EP oils having a scuffing load stage 50°C. The number of revolutions Variations of tooth profile
over 12 in the standard test. per load stage is kept constant so In addition to tooth forms A and L,
According to tooth geometry and that running time is increased to profile C is also used (See Table
increased speed this test provides an 45 min for each stage. 1 and Fig. 3). Here, sliding at
increase in test range of 4 to 5 load This method is mainly used to pinion tip is reduced as compared
stages compared with the standard evaluate scuff and wear properties with tooth forms A and L This
test. 5 of grease and has become a stand­ profile provides for lubricants with
ard test in this field. It is carried out low scuffing load—mostly for
A/2.76/50 with dip-feed lubrication and is greases, eg C/2.76/50.
In this procedure the pitch line therefore primarily valid only for
velocity is reduced to 2∙76 m/s by greases which flow. Reliable values Variation of pitch line velocity
reduction gearing between the driv­ for grades that are sprayed onto the As previously stated, test runs can
ing motor and the slave gears. flank cannot be obtained by this be made with the FZG rig at
The test is run with tooth profile A method. pitch line velocities v = 2∙76, 8 ∙ 3 ,

92 INDUSTRIAL LUBRICATION A N D TRIBOLOGY, May/June, 1974

 p H = Hertzian stress
fL = Load distribution factor
f H = Auxiliary factor for
determination of pH
= reduced radius of
curvature
s = Specific sliding
v g = Sliding velocity
v = sumvelocity
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and 16∙6 m/s. An increase in speed
is followed in every case within this
velocity range by a decrease in
scuffing load.
Variation of lubricant temperature
Oil testing normally takes place
at the commencing sump oil temp­
erature of 9 0 ° C ; for grease it is
normally 50°C. It is possible to run
tests at commencing temperatures
T up to 140 °C, eg A / 8 , 3/110.
Investigations in the FZG lab­
oratory have shown that there is no
unique tendency in the expected
scuffing load when initial oil temp­
INDUSTRIAL L U B R I C A T I O N A N D T R I B O L O G Y , May/June, 1974
eratures are increased. In the case of
gear oils with EP additives it was
found that increasing the oil temp­
erature from 90 to 140°C increased
the scuffing load one load stage
in one case and decreased it one
load stage in another5.
Variation of time
To evaluate anti-wear properties
over a longer time (mostly for
grease) test runs are carried out at
20h, 100h and 200h. After a period
of running-in, a load of 75%
scuffing load is kept constant for
the duration of the test. Wear is
evaluated by loss of weight.
These tests are usually carried
out with tooth profile A (high
sliding at pinion tip) or C (average
sliding).
Conclusions
The most usual tests are:
For gear oils: A / 8 . 3 / 9 0 ; A 1 6 . 6 / 9 0 ;
L16.6/90.
For greases: A / 2 . 7 6 / 5 0 ; A / 8 . 3 / 9 0 .
In addition, special tests with
variations of tooth profile (C),
lubricant temperatures, or time,
can be carried out to more closely
approach operating conditions.
93
93
 p H = H e r t z i a n stress

FL= Load distribution f a c t o r

f H = Auxiliary f a c t o r for
d e t e r m i n a t i o n of pH
= reduced radius of
curvature
s = Specific sliding

v g = Sliding velocity
v = sumvelocity
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References
(1) DIN 51 354. Mechanische Prüfung
von Getriebeōlen in der FZG-
Zahnrad - Verspannungs - Prüfma-
schine. Jan. 1970.
(2) Niemann, G., Assmann, H. Exper­
ience with the FZG Apparatus for
Testing Gear Oils. Jnl. Inst. Pet.,
Vol. 52, No. 507, p. 88-97.
(3) Niemann, G., Rettig, H. Scuffing
Tests of Gear Oils in the FZG A p ­
paratus. ASLE Trans., 4 (1961),
p. 71-86.
(4) Niemann, G., Seitzinger, K. Die
Erwärmung einsatzgehärteter Zahn-
räder als Kennwert für ihre Fresstrag-
fähigkeit. VDI-Zeitschrift, 113 (1971).
No. 2. p. 97-105.
(5) Seitzinger, K. Grenzen und M ö g -
lichkeiten der FZG-Zahnrad-Verspan-
nungs-Prüfmaschine, insbes. zur Pr­­
fung von Hypoidgetriebe-Ölen. Teil 2.
Schmiertechnik u. Tribologie, Heft 1.
1972.
(6) Seitzinger, K. Die Erwärmung ein­
satzgehärteter Zahnräder als Kennwert
für ihre Fresstragfähigkeit. Diss. T U -
München 1971.

94 INDUSTRIAL LUBRICATION AND TRIBOLOGY, May/June, 1974

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