Abrasionbased

Abrasionbased is an adjective used to describe processes, materials, or designs in which abrasion is the dominant mechanism of material removal or wear. It is commonly applied in the fields of tribology, materials science, and manufacturing to denote systems that are shaped by scraping, plowing, or cutting action caused by asperities or abrasive particles in contact with a counterface.

Its mechanism is typically categorized into two-body abrasion, where hard features on one surface gouge the opposing surface, and three-body abrasion, where loose abrasive particles between surfaces cause scratching and material removal. Key variables include relative hardness and toughness of the interfacing materials, surface roughness, contact pressure, sliding speed, and the size, hardness, and concentration of abrasive particles. Environment such as lubrication, temperature, and debris also influence the rate and nature of abrasion.

Applications and implications: Abrasion-based wear governs the service life of many mechanical components such as gears, seals, and bearings, as well as protective coatings and surface treatments designed to resist wear. Abrasive finishing processes like grinding and lapping are themselves based on abrasion, using controlled particle-material interactions to remove material efficiently and predictably.

Measurement and design: Wear rate, scratch testing, and microhardness testing are used to quantify abrasion resistance. Engineers select materials and surface treatments that balance hardness, toughness, and fracture resistance, and may employ lubrication, coatings, or texturing to reduce abrasive contact or redirect it toward noncritical regions.

See also: tribology, wear, abrasive wear, two-body abrasion, three-body abrasion, erosion, corrosion.