What is Chain Supply UK - CSUK?

BS & ANSI Roller Chains British Engineered Excellence Since 2005 UK manufacturer & supplier of British Standard (BS) and American Standard (ANSI) roller chains, shaft mounted gear units (SMGU/SMSR) & industrial drive solutions. Serving Mining, Food Processing, Agriculture & Manufacturing from Rotherham, South Yorkshire.

UK: +44 1709 878 282

Chain Failure Glossary

Failure mode

Adhesive Wear

Also known as Scuffing, metal transfer, cold welding

What adhesive wear is

Adhesive wear occurs when two metal surfaces rub under load with no effective film between them. Asperities weld together and then tear, transferring metal from one surface to the other. It progresses quickly into scoring, rough running and joint seizure.

Common causes

Running a drive dry or with a lubricant that cannot survive the load
Very low speed with high torque, where a hydrodynamic film never forms
Boundary lubrication conditions with the wrong base oil or additive pack
Extreme pressure at a tight or undersized drive

Warning signs

Torn, smeared or galled metal on pin and bush surfaces
Sudden, rapid wear after a period of apparently fine running
Rising noise and heat with no change in load
Chain that grabs and jumps rather than articulating smoothly

Prevention and correction

Specify a lubricant with the right base oil viscosity and EP additives for the duty
Never run a chain dry, even at low speed
Reduce contact pressure by using a larger pitch or higher tooth count
Inspect and re-lubricate after any period of starvation