Development of a novel sliding wear test rig for valve-guide pairs and its application in wear performance evaluation

This study develops a sliding wear test rig based on the actual operating conditions of engine valve-guide pairs. The rig integrates lateral and oblique loading functionalities to more accurately simulate real load patterns. Key parameters such as temperature, load, and sliding distance are adjustable, simulating sliding tests under high-temperature and heavy-load conditions. The setup effectively simulates the real environment of an engine, enabling consistent and reliable test results. The apparatus exhibits a compact structural layout and low fabrication cost. An experimental study of three different valve-guide pairs was conducted on the rig. The influence of temperature and material pairs on the tribological performance of the valve-guide pair was investigated. Through comprehensive analysis combined with wear mechanism studies, differences in the wear resistance of various pairs were identified. Results indicated that temperature has a significant influence on wear. The pair containing a moderate copper content exhibited optimal wear resistance under all tested temperatures.