摘要: Many researchers have observed metallic wear debris in the form of very thin platelets. In particular Akagaki & Kato (1987) revealed how such can be formed by progressive plastic extrusion from edges irregularities on softer two sliding surfaces. This behaviour has been reproduced experiments reported here, which a single soft asperity is modelled blunt copper wedge contact with flat hard steel surface under conditions boundary lubrication. continuous attributed to ‘plastic ratchetting’ and ways process driven identified: (i) pummelling asperities (ii) cyclic stressing stress concentrations occur at slider. The kinematical shakedown theorem theory plasticity used determine pressure necessary drive these ratchetting processes. A significant feature this mechanism that it frictionless conditions.