ABSTRACT
In this paper, the author tries to introduce calculation formulas of the linear sliding wear theory. It also deals with the pitfalls and difficulties that are present while the use of the formulas. In the last two years calculation of the wear appeared in more research and development projects of the Institute of Machine and Product Design at the University of Miskolc. This paper shows the experiences about the calculation of the wear. In the publication, the estimation of the wear will be presented by an example. The example is a gear drive of a starter motor, that is used to start a combustion engine. This drive is an open gear drive and it has no lubrication. The pinon has a great extent of wear, which is not acceptable in an average gear drive, but in these conditions is adaptable. The reason for this, that the gear drive of the starter motor is capable to provide its task: starting the combustion engine. Microscopic pictures were used to determine the size of the wear and the new form of the teeth. The hardness of the tooth surface was measured as well, to exclude that the reason of the wear was the insufficient hardness or not. The publication shows more phenomenon, that occurs during and after the contact process of the wheels. This kind of phenomena is the change of the common face width or the friction of the faces of the gear wheels.
