Evidence for the Melt-Lubrication of Projectile Bands

Abstract

Despite the long-time acceptance of melt-lubrication of rotating bands by the Army scientific community, all of the evidence supporting this conclusion has not been collected and, indeed, some has never been published. The melt-lubrication of rotating bands is very important because then sliding is lubricated and friction and wear is determined by the characteristics of the molten film and the amount of melting at the sliding interface. Melt-lubrication results in much less resistance and much less severe wear than would otherwise be the case. Both friction and wear and metallographic evidence from examination of recovered projectiles and fired cannon tubes show that melt-lubrication of projectiles sliding on a gun bore has, in fact, occurred. Melt-lubrication is caused by the production of a thin surface film of molten rotating band material. Such a molten surface layer can also be produced on the surface of materials other than copper alloys contacting the bore at high surface loads and velocities.

Presented at the 39th Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois, May 7–10, 1984

Notes

Presented at the 39th Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois, May 7–10, 1984