Chains are subject to disadvantages such as wear, vibration, and noise. Under high-load and high-speed operating conditions, these issues can lead to chain elongation caused by wear. Previous studies have shown the critical role of lubricating oil in forming an oil film between the pin and bush, which significantly contributes to wear reduction. In this study, two types of lubrication methods were evaluated: (i) Oil penetration of pre-operation, and (ii) Drop lubrication during operation. Furthermore, the influence of oil film formation on pin wear behavior was investigated, with particular focus on the kinematic viscosity of the lubricating oil. From the discussion, it seems reasonable conclude: (1) Lubricating oils with higher kinematic viscosity demonstrated greater effectiveness in suppressing chain wear, attributed to the formation of a thicker oil film between the pin and bush. (2) Drop lubrication also contributed to wear reduction. However, higher viscosity impaired oil penetration into between the pin and bush, suggesting that an optimal viscosity should be selected for effective lubrication performance.
Shoji et al. (Wed,) studied this question.