A crescente necessidade de fabricação de moldes com prazos e custos cada vez menores exige das ferramentarias a personalização e melhoria de seus processos de fabricação. Uma das maneiras de atingir isso é através da melhoria na usinagem dos eletrodos, já que esse processo afetará diretamente a precisão dimensional e tempo de produção de um molde. O uso de grafite como matéria-prima para esses eletrodos é altamente satisfatório, pois esse material apresenta a vantagem de ser usinado mais rapidamente e permitir uma grande variedade de formas geométricas, contudo, sua principal desvantagem é o alto poder abrasivo o que ocasiona desgastes elevados nas ferramentas. Os processos de tratamentos de gume são aplicados a fim de reduzir o efeito deste problema, aumentando a durabilidade das ferramentas. Com isso em vista, este trabalho realizou o estudo sobre o efeito de tratamentos de gume no desgaste de ferramentas com revestimento de diamante policristalino (PCD), no fresamento de eletrodos em grafite. Foram realizados ensaios experimentais com fresas sem tratamento, com tratamentos pelo método de polimento com cerdas abrasivas e por acabamento por arraste. Os testes consistiram em usinar eletrodos com parâmetros definidos e verificar o desgaste gerado nas fresas a cada 200 metros de comprimento usinado. Foram realizados também, análises de rugosidade e caracterização das fresas após os tratamentos, caracterização da mídia e da esponja utilizadas nos polimentos e caracterização do grafite usinado. Os resultados apontam que os tratamentos de gume resultam em alterações na superfície do revestimento, reduzindo o valor da rugosidade em média de 23%, e, no caso do processo de acabamento por arraste, uma redução na variação dos valores, já que este processo é considerado mais confiável e reprodutível. A caracterização da mídia e da esponja utilizadas indicou a presença de Silício como material abrasivo, o que provavelmente pode caracterizar um material de carbeto de silício. Com relação ao desgaste das ferramentas, pela curva de vida das mesmas, foi evidente ganhos como redução do desgaste de flanco e um aumento no comprimento usinado de até 63% em comparação com as ferramentas originais. Todas as ferramentas passaram pelos Estágios I e II da curva de desgaste e não chegaram ao Estágio III, conhecido como Desgaste Catastrófico. O mecanismo de desgaste, aparentemente, mais presente no processo foi a abrasão, apresentando como características os desgastes de flanco, cratera e entalhe. De forma geral, os dois processos de polimento apresentaram ganhos e demonstraram seus potenciais para serem aplicados em ferramentas de produção. / The rising need for manufacturing molds with increasingly smaller deadlines and costs is demanding from the toolmakers to customize and enhance their fabrication processes. One of the ways to achieve that is by improving their electrode machining, since this process will affect directly in the result of the dimensional precision and production time of the mold. The usage of graphite as raw material for electrodes is known to be highly satisfactory since the graphite has the advantage of machining faster and allowing a great variety of geometrical forms, however, its main disadvantage is that the graphite also has a high level of wearing during the machining process. The cutting edge preparations are used in order to reduce the effects of this problem, increasing the durability of the tools. In that interest, this paper has researched the effect of edge preparations on the wear of tools with polycrystalline diamond coating (PCD), in the milling of graphite electrodes. Therefore, experimental tests were performed with untreated tools, tools polished with abrasive brushes and tools treated by the polishing method with drag finishing. The tests consisted in machining electrodes with defined parameters and checking the wear generated on the cutters every 200 meters of machined length. Analysis of roughness, characterization of the tools after the treatments, characterization of the media and the brush used in the polishes and characterization of the machined graphite were also performed. The findings indicate that the edge preparation results in modifications on the coating surface, reducing the roughness value by a mean of 23%, and in the case of drag finishing process, a variation of the values reduction, since this process is more reliable and reproducible. The media and brush characterization indicated the silicon presence as an abrasive material, which may characterize a silicon carbide material. With regard to the tools wear, due to their life curve, gains such as reduction of flank wear and a length-machined increase of up to 63% were noticed, in comparison to the original tools. All tools passed through Stages I and II of Wear Curve, and did not reach Stage III, known as Catastrophic Wear. Abrasion was, apparently, the most present wear mechanism in the process, presenting as characteristics the flank wear, crater wear and notch wear. In conclusion, the two polishing processes showed gains and demonstrated their potential to be applied in tools production.

A alta demanda das indústrias, aliada a necessidade de alta eficiência, fomenta avanços tecnológicos na área de usinagem. Os revestimentos para recobrimento de ferramentas de usinagem vêm para atender essa necessidade, aumentando a durabilidade, e a confiabilidade das ferramentas. Este trabalho analisou o efeito de três diferentes revestimentos de ferramentas de usinagem (TiN, TiAlN e CrAlN) sobre o desgaste da ferramenta no processo de geração de engrenagens por hobbing. Para isso foram realizados ensaios experimentais utilizando uma única ferramenta hob, que após passar por processo de afiação recebeu os diferentes revestimentos. Os ensaios consistiram em medir o desgaste máximo de flanco (Vbmax) da ferramenta após a usinagem de um corpo de prova de um total de cinco, esses corpos de prova passaram por tratamento térmico de austenitização a fim de acelerar o desgaste. Além disso, a textura e a rugosidade dos corpos de prova foram analisadas em diferentes estágios da vida da ferramenta. Os resultados apontaram que o revestimento de TiAlN apresentou os menores valores de desgaste, estatisticamente igual ao CrAlN, e superiores ao TiN. O CrAlN apresentou os menores valores de rugosidade, e juntamente com o TiAlN foram os que apresentaram maior estabilidade para esta grandeza. Além disso, o TiAlN e o CrAlN em um comparativo econômico foram os apresentaram menor custo por corpo de prova usinado. / The high demand of the industries, together with the need for high efficiency, promotes technological advances in the area of machining. Machining tool coverings come to meet this need, increasing the durability, and reliability of the tools. This work analyzed the effect of three different machining tool coatings (TiN, TiAlN and CrAlN) on the wear of the tool in the process of generating gears by hobbing. For this, experimental tests were performed using a single hob tool, which after undergoing a sharpening process received the different coatings. The tests consisted in measuring the maximum flank wear (Vbmax) of the tool after machining a test piece of a total of five, these specimens underwent thermal treatment of austenitization in order to accelerate wear. In addition, the texture and roughness of the specimens were analyzed at different stages of tool life. The results indicated that the TiAlN coating had the lowest wear values, statistically equal to CrAlN, and higher than TiN. The CrAlN presented the lowest values of roughness, and together with the TiAlN were the ones that presented greater stability for this greatness. In addition, the TiAlN and CrAlN in an economic comparison were the lower cost per machined test specimen.

Orientador: Sergio Tonini Button / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Mecanica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-13T02:45:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Santaella_MauricioLopez_M.pdf: 4037016 bytes, checksum: 0e06e55364f0ff6351af1956d5dda499 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Resumo: Uma faixa significativa do preço final de produtos forjados é proveniente de custos referentes a re-trabalho de ferramental devido a falhas superficiais nas matrizes de conformação. Na busca de uma empresa por maior competitividade em termos de preço e tempo, surge a necessidade de entender-se os mecanismos de falha das matrizes de modo a aumentar sua vida útil, evitando situações de risco para a matriz e uma possível falha, diminuindo custos referentes ao re-trabalho e diminuindo tempos de manutenção e set-ups, tendo por fim um aumento de produtividade. Além de mudanças conhecidas para o aumento da vida útil das matrizes como, por exemplo, temperatura e velocidade de forjamento, lubrificação e alterações metalúrgicas superficiais nas matrizes, pode-se aumentar a vida útil das matrizes com mudanças geométricas do desenho do forjado. Neste trabalho foi estudado como a modificação dos valores do raio de boca, largura do patamar de rebarba, maior profundidade de cavidade, raio superior da haste, espessura de rebarba e temperaturas de forjamento e de matrizes influenciam no processo de desgaste de matrizes de pré-forma no forjamento de bielas automotivas na região da haste. Através de simulação numérica e análise estatística pôde-se verificar que os parâmetros que mais influem no processo de desgaste são os mesmos que influem na profundidade de cavidade de matriz que por sua vez influem diretamente na largura total de rebarba que escoa pelo patamar de rebarba, sendo assim a largura de rebarba uma medida comparativa do desgaste. Foi analisado também o processo de forjamento na região da haste de bielas, podendo-se verificar quatro etapas distintas para a evolução do desgaste, da tensão normal e do carregamento. Nessa avaliação verificou-se que o processo de escoamento durante o forjamento difere do observado em referências bibliográficas disponíveis, podendo-se verificar um processo de recalque na haste ou de escoamento radial das cabeças do laminado em direção à haste, o que tende a aumentar o diâmetro do tarugo que por sua vez com diâmetros maiores da haste, aumentam também o processo de desgaste, portanto sendo um importante fator a ser considerado em projetos de bielas. Da análise dos gráficos da força necessária para forjar a região da haste pôde-se verificar também que a curva gráfica de carregamento se distingue quando há falha de preenchimento de cavidade quando comparado com um processo sem falha. Por fim através da construção de gráficos de mapeamento do processo ou sobre-posição de gráficos de contorno para os parâmetros com os quais houve falha de preenchimento para o desgaste e carregamento, podem-se verificar regiões otimizadas, sem falhas, com menores valores de desgaste, com aumento da vida útil das matrizes, garantia de qualidade do produto e possivelmente, redução de matéria-prima. / Abstract: A significant part of forgings prices is due to costs from reworks of forging dies because of superficial failures on their surfaces. In quest of a higher competitiveness in terms of prices and production times, it is necessary to understand the mechanisms of die failure to increase its working life, avoiding risk situations and a possible total failure of the tools, and also decreasing costs of reworks, and maintenance and set-ups, achieving a higher productiveness. Besides known changes to increase forging die life such as forging temperature, stroke speed, lubrication (friction) and superficial metallurgical modification on dies surfaces, it is possible to increase die life trough geometrical changes of the die sketch. In this work it has been studied how the modification of the corner radius, flash land width, depth of cavity, radius of the upper stem, flash thickness and temperatures of forging dies and workpiece influence the wear of the forging of connecting rods in the stem region from the preform dies. Through numerical simulation and statistical analysis it was found that the parameters that most influence the process of die wear are the same that affect the die cavity volume which also influence directly the overall width of flash of the forged part. Therefore, the width of a flash is a comparative measure of abrasive wear. It was also analyzed the process of forging in the stem region from connecting rods and it could be verified four distinct stages in the evolution of the abrasive wear, normal stress and forging load. Through this validation it was found that the material flow during the process differs from the observed in available bibliographies and it could be also verified a process of upsetting in the rods stem or a radial flow of the rolled workpiece heads toward the rods stem, which tends to increase the diameter of the workpiece stem. Larger diameters increase the process of abrasive wear, therefore being an important factor to be considered in the design of connecting rods dies. From the analysis of the necessary load to forge the stem region of the rod it was verified that the loading pattern is different when the cavity is not completely filled. Finally through the construction of processing maps it can be determined optimized regions without filling defects, with lower values of wear and thereby increasing die life, keeping the product quality and possibly reducing raw material. / Mestrado / Materiais e Processos de Fabricação / Mestre em Engenharia Mecânica

M.Ing. / Sound pressure levels exceeding acceptable limits are being generated by trains travelling on the 1000 m radius curved railway line past the town of Elands Bay. Unacceptable sound levels are attributed mainly to top of rail wheel squeal. Top of rail wheel squeal belongs to the family of selfinduced vibrations and originates from frictional instability in curves between the wheel and the rail under predominantly saturated lateral creep conditions. In small radius curves, saturated lateral creep conditions occur due to the steering of railway wheelsets with large angles of attack. Given the large curve radius and the utilisation of self-steering bogies on the Sishen-Saldanha Iron Ore railway line, curve squeal is a highly unexpected result for the 1000 m radius curved railway line. This is because curving of bogies in large radius curves are achieved without high wheelset angles of attack leading to saturated creep conditions. An experimental and analytical investigation was carried out to identify the mechanisms influencing the generation of wheel squeal in large radius curves. Simultaneous measurement of sound pressure and lateral wheel-rail forces were made during regular train service in one of the two 1000 m radius curves at Elands Bay to characterise the bogie curving behaviour for tonal noise due to wheel squeal occurring in the large radius curve. The lateral force curving signature not only reveals the levels of lateral wheel-rail forces required for bogie curving, but also whether the bogie is curving by means of the creep forces generated at the wheel-rail interface only or if contact is necessitated between the wheel flange and rail gauge corner to help steer the bogie around the curve. The test set-up consisted of two free field microphones radially aligned at equivalent distances towards the in – and outside of the curve in line with a set a strain gauge bridges configured and calibrated to measure the lateral and vertical forces on the inner and outer rail of the curve. This test set-up allowed the squealing wheel to be identified from the magnitude difference of the sound pressures recorded by the inner and outer microphones in combination with comparing the point of frequency shift of the squeal event due to the Doppler Effect with the force signals of the radially aligned strain gauge bridges. From the experimental phase of the investigation, it was found that wheel squeal occurring in the 1000 m radius curve at Elands Bay is characteristic of empty wagons and is strongly related to the squealing wheel’s flange/flange throat being in contact with the gauge corner of the rail. Here high levels of spin creepage associated with high contact angles in the gauge corner lead to high levels of associated lateral creepage necessary for squeal generation. This is in contrast to lateral creepage due to high wheelset angles of attack being the key kinematic parameter influencing squeal generation in small radius curves. Furthermore, the amplitude of wheel squeal originating from the passing of empty wagons was found to be inversely proportional to the level of flange rubbing on the squealing wheel i.e. increased flange contact on the squealing wheel brings about a positive effect on squeal control. Contrary to the empty wagons which are characterised by tonal curve squeal, loaded 4 wagons requiring contact between the wheel flange and rail gauge corner in the 1000 m curve was characterised by broadband flanging noise. It was concluded from measurements that flange contact occurring under high lateral forces for steady state curving of loaded wagons provides the complete damping necessary for squeal control. The curve squeal noise that originated from the passing of empty wagons in the Elands Bay curve could further be classified according to the frequency at which the squeal event manifested itself in the curve, i.e. low frequency audible (0 – 10 kHz), high frequency audible (10 – 20 kHz) and ultrasonic squeal (> 20 kHz). The vast majority of low frequency audible squeal events recorded in the 1000 m Elands Bay curve occurred at approximately 4 kHz and originated from the low rail/trailing inner wheel interface, whilst the vast majority of high frequency audible squeal events occurred in the frequency range between 15 and 20 kHz and originated from both the high rail/leading outer wheel and low rail/trailing inner wheel interfaces.

The main purpose of this research project was to determine the fatigue-life behaviour of AISI 1008 sheet steel which has been mechanically formed to a radius of curvature of 120mm and then to correlate the fatigue-life behaviour to that of the parent or “as manufactured” material. During the forming process it was felt important to induce plastic strain through stretch-bending by clamping the sides of a plate sample’s (width) edges in the bending fixture before being bent by a single acting mechanical press. It was determined through actual testing that there was a decrease in fatigue-life when the mechanical formed data was compared to fatigue data of the parent material. Standard fatigue mathematical models were used to relate the actual fatigue data. Due to the material being cold formed to a radius of curvature of 120mm, residual stresses induced during the forming process played an essential role during the fatigue-life prediction calculations. The maximum relieved stress in the parent material was compressive in nature having a magnitude of 11percent of the “as manufactured” yield strength (265 MPa). For the mechanical formed material compressive residual stresses were measured on the outer surface while tensile stresses were measured on the inner surface. The difference between actual number of cycles to failure to that calculated using the standard mathematical models for the parent material, ranged between 48 percent and 18 percent and for the mechanical formed samples between 35 percent and 1percent, depending on the strain amplitude used. An important aspect of this study was to determine the criteria required for mathematical modelling of the parent material as testing occurred between the limit of proportionality and yield point. Although this aspect requires further investigation the mathematical results obtained during this study were considered to be acceptable.

Orientadores: Cecilia Amelia de Carvalho Zavaglia, Marcelo de Carvalho Reis / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Mecanica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-04T01:42:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Bavaresco_VanessaPetrilli_D.pdf: 14276021 bytes, checksum: d5ab24900afcc34fe160b1d9a55fa2bd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2004 / Resumo: O desenvolvimento de próteses articulares com superfície complacente, capaz de favorecer ou permitir a lubrificação entre os componentes das juntas artificiais, como acontece nas juntas naturais, vem despertando grande interesse visto que diminui o coeficiente de atrito entre as superfícies, favorecendo o deslizamento entre as mesmas e minimizando o desgaste. A proposta deste trabalho foi estudar e melhorar as propriedades mecânicas de hidrogéis poliméricos de poli (metacrilato de 2-hidroxietila) (pREMA) e poli (álcool vinílico) (PVA) reconhecidamente utilizados no estudo de reparadores da cartilagem articular natural. Para tanto foram obtidos copolímeros de pREMA e n-vinil pirrolidona (NVP) (polímero hidrofílico de reforço) variando-se a concentração de agente de reticulação e blendas de poliHEMA com o copolímero poli(metacrilato de metila-co-ácido acrílico) (75:25) enquanto que, os hidrogéis a base de poli (álcool vinílico) foram reticulados com radiação ionizante de feixe de elétrons. O estudo envolveu a caracterização térmica, mecânica e morfológica desses materiais bem como sua caracterização quanto ao desgaste em um equipamento do tipo PIN-ON-DISK com uma contra-superficie de metal em condições próximas à fisiológica com movimento relativo rotativo e, ainda, com movimento recíproco ou alternado / Abstract: There is an increasing interest in the development of soft layered articular prostheses, which favour sliding between components, as natural joints do, thus reducing contact stresses and wear. The purpose of this work was to characterize and improve the mechanical properties of poly (2-hydroxyethyl metacrylate) (pHEMA) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogels. These hydrogels are extensively studied for articular cartilage repair. Samples of pHEMA and n-vinyl pirrolidone (NVP) copolymers with different amounts of trimethylol propane trimethacrylate (TMPTMMA) crosslinking agent, and samples of pHEMA/poly (methyl metacrylate-co-acrylic acid) blends were prepared by thermal polymerization. Additionally, PVA based hydrogels were prepared by means of electron beam ionizing radiation. Hydrogel samples were characterized by indentation creep test, equilibrium water content (EWC) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The tribological characterization of hydrogels was performed under nearly looading physiological conditions at room temperature on a pin-on-disc equipment, Plint TE67, using a stainless steel 316L disc counter surface / Doutorado / Materiais e Processos de Fabricação / Mestre em Engenharia Mecânica

This bachelor thesis has been executed with the product development process double diamond. The thesis has been performed at Karlstad University in cooperation with Kongsberg Maritime in Sweden AB. The objective of the thesis has been to develop a condition monitoring system for Kongsberg’s waterjet department. Substantially it has to do with finding a system which could monitor wear and problematic trends  in  the hydraulic oil and oil lubricated bearings. The wear is to be translated to an electrical signal which could be used to alert and visualize the wear to the end user. The literature study was divided into two parts. The first part of the literature study consisted of analyzing and understanding wear and condition monitoring systems. The second part of the literature study instead consisted of analyzing different kind of measurement methods which could be suitable for so-called online measurements. The used references come from scientific articles and documents publicized by various classification societies. The final solution consists of a system of different sensors and measurement methods. Due to the fact that the system is to be  installed on ships, the system needed to be considered with rules from various classification societies. The rules which are relevant for the project was placed in an elimination matrix where concepts that didn’t live up to the rules were scrapped. Further on, the sub concepts were evaluated  and selected  with a relative matrix and a weighted Kesselring matrix, which gave the most suitable sub concepts. The sub concepts were merged into a complete condition monitoring system at concept level. The final system solution could measure solid particles in oil, humidity in oil, oil flow, torque, rotational speed of the shaft and vibrations. The selected sensors also enabled the system to measure shaft power, oil conductivity and oil permittivity which were not included in the task.

A fundamental study was conducted to analyze the friction and degradation mechanisms of thin rubber coatings used as fretting corrosion inhibitors. Two elastomers, polyurethane and styreneethylene-butylene (SEBS), were investigated. The mechanisms of wear were studied by analyzing wear scars with optical microscopy. Friction mechanisms were investigated using friction forcedisplacement hysteresis loops and friction force variation with test frequency, fretting amplitude and fIlm thickness. Lastly, coating life variation with these three parameters was studied and explained through a simplified fatigue mechanics approach. / Master of Science

Lightweight aluminium-silicon alloy is an attractive material for making engine cylinders in automobiles. It imparts good power to weight ratio to the engine. High silicon containing aluminium alloys are used in current engine block castings where the bore surface is etched or honed to partially expose the silicon particles to provide the primary contact between the piston ring and certain regions of the piston and the cylinder. Piston reversal near the top dead centre however causes starvation of lubrication which leads to wear. To explore the wear behaviour of etched aluminium-silicon alloys under nominally dry conditions and extreme lubricated conditions, a host of mechanical and spectroscopic techniques are used here to characterize mechanical and chemical changes caused by wear. In the absence of complex chemical transformations on the wear surface in dry condition, allows a close examination of surface and subsurface microstructures. Given this understanding of the wear under dry condition, we explore the effect of boundary lubrication, where chemical transformations leading to surface modifications are involved. In dry sliding tribology of aluminium-silicon alloy slid against a steel ball four stages of wear are identified; ultra-mild wear, mild wear, severe wear and post severe oxidative wear. In the ultra-mild wear regime silicon particles bears the load. Transition to mild wear occurs when the protruded silicon particles disappear(by sinking and fracture) under higher pressure and sliding. The sinking of silicon particles under normal loading is further investigated using a naoindenter. It is found that the resistance to sinking of such particles into the matrix increases with the unexposed surface area to the buried volume of the particles. In that sense, small particles are seen to provide the stiffest resistance to sinking. While in ultra-mild wear regime the basic energy dissipation mechanism is sinking/tilting, in mild wear regime the subsurface is either in an elastic or an incipiently plastic state. Subsurface plasticity in mild wear regime leads to a grain refinement, fracture of silicon and nucleation of cracks at silicon-matrix interfaces but does not promote large scale flow of the matrix. Transition to severe wear occurs when the contact pressure exceeds the plastic shakedown limit. Under this condition gross plasticity leads to a severe fragmentation of silicon particles and the fragmented silicon are transported by the matrix as it undergoes incremental straining with each cyclic contact at the asperity level. A large reduction in the inter-particle distance com-pared to that in a milder stage of wear, gives rise to high strain gradients in the severe wear regime which contribute to the enhancement of dislocation density. The resulting regions of very high strains at the boundaries of the recrystallised grains as well as within the subgrains lead to the formation of microvoids/ cracks. This is accompanied by the formation of brittle oxides at these subsurface inter-faces due to enhanced diffusion of oxygen. We believe that the abundance of such microcracks in the near surface region, primed by severe plastic deformation, is what distinguishes a severe wear regime from that in the mild wear. The transition from severe wear to post severe oxidative wear is thermally induced and it transfers the metal to metal contact interaction to metal to ceramic interaction. A thick oxide layer is abraded and spalls while the metal underneath continues to flow and delaminate. A study of lubricated tribology of ultra-mild and mild wear regime of aluminium-silicon alloy shows that the initial stages of sliding friction is controlled by the abrasion of the steel pin by the protruding silicon particles of the aluminium-silicon disc. Thegeneration of nascent steel chips helps to breakdown the additive in the oil by a cationic exchange that yields chemical products of benefits to the tribology. The friction is initially controlled by abrasion, but the chemical products gain increasing importance in controlling friction with sliding time. After long times, depending on the contact pressure, the chemical products determine sliding friction exclusively. In the mild wear chemically induced low friction is achieved in short periods of time whereas in ultra-mild wear regime it takes very long time to reach this low friction state. While the basic dissipation mechanisms are the same in the ultra-mild wear and mild wear regimes ,the matrix remains practically unworn in the low pressure ultra-mild wear regime. In the higher pressure mild wear regime at long sliding times a small but finite wear rate prevails. Incipient plasticity in the subsurface controls the mechanism of wear.

Fretting phenomenon occurs when two bodies in contact undergo small repetitive relative motion such that the localized surface and subsurface material properties are altered leading to damage or failures. Fretting conditions are obtained by controlling externally applied parameters such as load, frequency of displacement, displacement amplitude. Material properties which influence fretting behavior include hardness, ductility, hardening behavior. External parameters like surface roughness, temperature also play a role in deciding the extent of damage. Based on fretting conditions and specimen geometry, various fretting modes can be classified. Rotational fretting is one such damage mode, observed in industrial applications such as cable ropes under tension used for support in construction industry and variable stator vanes (VSVs) in compressors of turbines. In spite of industrial and engineering relevance, rotational fretting has received little attention. In the present work, rotational fretting of self-mated AISI 4340 material pair was studied, with the objective of characterizing subsurface damage induced by fretting. AISI 4340 (EN 24) is a low alloy martensitic steel with an excellent combination of strength, ductility and toughness. It is widely used in high strength cyclic loading applications like gears, bearings, automobile pistons and aircraft landing gears as well as in low corrosion, high strength offshore applications. It can be readily machined and surface hardened which makes it useful for wear related applications. A novel rotational fretting test set up, capable of operating under various test loads, frequencies, displacement amplitudes and temperatures was used to perform experiments. Specimens were subjected to a combination of normal load and rotational displacement and caused to mutually contact on non-conformal curved surfaces which simulate a bearing or bushing geometry. Fretting results were primarily determined by the frictional torque versus angular displacement plots. The running condition response was linked to the fretting material response regime. Surface and subsurface characterization studies of fretted regions were conducted using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). TEM studies revealed varying levels of fretting induced plastic deformation within the fretted contact zone. Good correlation with available literature relating to formation of dislocation cells and presence of high dislocation density in the fretting damaged regions was established. Although quantifying the dislocation density as a damage indicator is a challenge, it is proposed that a microstructural feature based approach has the potential to be developed into a useful tool for life assessment and life prediction studies.