Dispersible wear indicator
A wear member includes an attachment portion, and a wear portion extending from the attachment portion that defines a wear surface. The wear portion has a dispersible wear indicator that is disposed in the wear portion, and that is spaced a predetermined distance away from the wear surface.
1. A wear member comprising:
an attachment portion;
a wear portion extending from the attachment portion that defines a wear surface; and
a bleeding wear indicator disposed in the wear portion and spaced a predetermined distance away from the wear surface,
wherein the bleeding wear indicator comprises a dissolvable solid, the dissolvable solid dispersing to a working material upon contacting moisture in the working material to indicate that the wear member needs to be repaired or replaced.
2. The wear member of claim 1 , wherein the bleeding wear indicator further comprises at least one of:
a paint,
a polymer, or
a fluid.
3. The wear member of claim 2 , wherein the fluid comprises at least one:
a UV glowing liquid, or
a colored gas visible in a vicinity of a work area upon exposure indicating the wear member needing to be repaired or replaced.
4. The wear member of claim 1 , wherein the bleeding wear indicator is disposed nearer the attachment portion as opposed to the wear surface.
5. The wear member of claim 1 , wherein the attachment portion defines an attachment portion width, and the wear portion defines a wear portion width that is greater than the attachment portion width.
6. The wear member of claim 5 , wherein the wear member has an at least partially “T shape” in a cross-section parallel to the wear portion width and the attachment portion width.
7. The wear member of claim 5 , wherein the attachment portion is disposed at a midpoint along the wear portion width.
8. A skid for use with a cold planer assembly, the skid comprising:
a sliding portion including a sliding surface;
a connecting portion extending from the sliding portion that is thinner than the sliding portion; and
a first dispersible wear indicator disposed in the sliding portion and positioned away from the sliding surface,
wherein the first dispersible wear indicator comprises a dissolvable solid, the dissolvable solid dispersing to a working material upon contacting moisture in the working material to indicate that the skid needs to be replaced.
9. The skid of claim 8 , further comprising a ramp portion extending from the sliding portion at an oblique angle to the sliding portion.
10. The skid of claim 9 , wherein the ramp portion includes a second dispersible wear indicator that is disposed in the ramp portion.
11. The skid of claim 10 , wherein the ramp portion includes a push surface, and the second dispersible wear indicator is spaced away from the push surface.
12. The skid of claim 8 , wherein the sliding portion includes a top exposed surface, and the first dispersible wear indicator is disposed at the top exposed surface of the sliding portion proximate to the connecting portion.
13. The skid of claim 9 , wherein the first dispersible wear indicator has an elongated racetrack perimeter.
14. The skid of claim 9 , wherein the first dispersible wear indicator further comprises at least one:
a paint,
a polymer,
a fluid.
15. The skid of claim 9 , wherein the connecting portion includes a plurality of thru-holes.
16. The skid of claim 10 , wherein:
the first dispersible wear indicator is symmetrical to the second dispersible wear indicator about a first plane of symmetry, and
the skid further comprises a third dispersible wear indicator and a fourth dispersible wear indicator, the third dispersible wear indicator and the fourth dispersible wear indicator being symmetrical to the first dispersible wear indicator and the second dispersible wear indicator about a second plane of symmetry.
17. The skid of claim 16 , wherein the second dispersible wear indicator comprises one of:
a paint,
a polymer,
a dissolvable solid, or
a fluid.
18. The skid of claim 16 , wherein the third dispersible wear indicator comprises:
a UV glowing liquid dispersing to the working material upon contacting the working material to indicate under UV lights that the wear member needs to be replaced, or
a colored gas visible in a vicinity of a work area upon exposure indicating the wear member needing to be repaired or replaced.
19. A method of alerting that a wear member needs to be replaced comprising:
forming a wear member that includes a bleeding wear indicator, wherein the bleeding wear indicator comprises a dissolvable solid, the dissolvable solid dispersing to a working material upon contacting moisture in the working material to indicate that the wear member needs to be replaced.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the wear member further includes a dispersible wear indicator,
the method further comprising:
upon the work material contacting the dispersible wear indicator, releasing a dispersing material visible in a vicinity of a work area.
21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising using ultraviolet light to cause a liquid acting as the dispersing material or the bleeding material to glow.