Automatic Four Ball Lubricant Tester(ASTM D2596, D2266, D4172)

Automatic Four Ball Lubricant Tester(ASTM D2596, D2266, D4172)

What is Four Ball Tester？

The Four Ball / 4-ball Lubricant Tester provides an evaluation of the anti-wear and extreme pressure properties of fluid lubricants and greases in sliding contacts.

Significance of Four Ball Test?

The 4-ball tester is mainly applied to demonstrate performance within industrial applications like greases. The ASTM standard tests are well known in the industry and used as a reference by many lubricant formulators. The test could possibly help evaluate the anti-scuffing capacity and lasting performance of different lubricants under consideration for selection. It could also be added to the test arsenal when comparing the residual AW or EP performance of a used lubricant to the new lubricant performance. It turned out to be a suitable and cheap test to assess whether a finished product contained antiwear additives and as such was accepted by the "oil community" as a standard screening test and incorporated in various national standards (ASTM, DIN, IP etc).

How to perform the test? 

A ball mounted in a chuck, is rotated against three stationary balls in a pot containing the sample lubricant.

Reference ASTM Standards:

1. ASTM D2596-15 “Standard Test Method for Measurement of Extreme-Pressure Properties of Lubricating Grease (Four-Ball Method)"

2. ASTM D2783-03(2014) “Standard Test Method for Measurement of Extreme-Pressure Properties of Lubricating Fluids (Four-Ball Method)”

3. ASTM D2266-01(2015) “Standard Test Method for Wear Preventive Characteristics of Lubricating Grease (Four-Ball Method)"

4. ASTM D5183-05(2016) “Standard Test Method for Determination of the Coefficient of Friction of Lubricants Using the Four-Ball Wear Test Machine"

5. ASTM D4172-94(2016) “Standard Test Method for Wear Preventive Characteristics of Lubricating Fluid (Four-Ball Method)”

Typical Parameters of Four Ball Tester:

• 7 Inch high resolution color touch screen user interface, touch screen button control.

• Operating voltage: AC380V, 50Hz.

• Operating power: 1500W.

• Spindle speed: 200r / min ~ 3000r / min + 5r / min continuously adjustable.

• Spindle speed control method: frequency converter.

• Sample temperature control range: ambient ~ 400℃/adjustable, LCD real-time digital display.

• Sample heating method: heating rod to be inserted into oil bowl.

• Loading method: leverage type, manual loading.

• Axis test force: 60N ~ 10KN.

• Testing ball: 4-ball machine dedicated Gcr15 steel ball, diameter 12.7mm.

• Friction method: Sliding friction.

• Pressure contact mode: Sliding friction point contact.

• Speed display: LCD digital rotation speed display.

• Relative error of the test force: +1%.

Automatic Four Ball Lubricant Tester(ASTM D2596, D2266, D4172):