Effect of Metallic Coatings on the Wear Performance and Mechanism of 30CrMnSiNi2A Steel

The finger lock structure of aircraft landing gear is prone to wear and failure during repeated locking and unlocking processes, which is disastrous for the service safety of the aircraft. At present, the commonly used material for finger locks in the industry is 30CrMnSiNi2A, which has a short wear life and high maintenance costs. It is crucial to develop effective methods to improve the wear resistance of 30CrMnSiNi2A finger locks. This work explores the wear resistance and wear mechanisms of different metallic coatings such as chromium, nickel, and cadmium–titanium on the surface of a 30CrMnSiNi2A substrate. The effects of load and wear time on the wear behavior are also discussed. The results indicated that the wear resistance of the chromium coating was the maximum. When the load was 80 N and 120 N, the wear mechanisms were mainly oxidation and adhesive. For greater loads, the wear mechanism of the coating after failure was mainly abrasive and oxidation, and the wear was extremely severe. When the load was 80 N, for a greater loading time, the wear mechanisms were mainly oxidation and adhesive.