Running-In Effects on the Performance of Polycrystalline Diamond Thrust Bearings
Running-in, breaking-in, and wearing-in are synonymous for describing the changes that occur between start-up and the acquisition of a steady state of a tribological system. The running-in period can produce many desired benefits including: reduction in friction, reduction in temperature, increase in contact area, decrease in roughness, relief of contact stresses, expulsion of contaminants, formation of protective layers, and even increase the coherence of oil film for fluid film lubrication.