Also commonly referred to as pick-up, scuffing or galling, adhesive wear occurs when insufficient lubrication enables two mating surfaces to make direct metal to metal contact. Under sufficiently high pressure the contacting asperities (i.e. surface roughness peaks) deform and adhere to each other to form cold welded micro-joints. Movement of the bodies causes the co-joined, micro-welded asperities of the softer material to fracture, resulting in the transfer of material from one surface to the other. Metals such as stainless steel, titanium and aluminum are notorious for being exposed to adhesive wear.
