Wear analysis on rollers of nodular cast iron in contact with wire ropes

The present work describes the major findings of a wear mechanism analysis based on optical and scanning electron microscopy on rollers made from nodular cast iron that had rolled under partial slip against steel wire ropes in field service and in wear tests using rollers and wire ropes. Various wear modes were identified on the wire rope groove surfaces. Selected wire ropes from the same rope drives were investigated by microscopy. The findings will be utilized in the modeling and testing work to support product development activities. In the roller surfaces and near-surface zones, evidence of several wear mechanisms occurred. The microscopy of the worn rope groove surfaces revealed plastically deformed cast iron tongues and cracks in near-surface zones that had been subjected to plastic deformation under high tangential forces due to contact pressure and micro-slip. To large extent, the cracks originated from graphite spheres that had been elongated by the surface material flow.