An experimental investigation to determine the effects of surface roughness lay direction relative to the direction of motion on initial surface damage was conducted using a four-ball machine under both simple sliding and pure rolling point contact conditions. Surface topographies ranging from 0.11 μm (4.45 μm) to 0.73 μm (28.61 μm.) RMS roughness and 31.5 μm (1239 μin.) to 59.6 μm (2345 μin.) in wavelength were utilized in the experimental program. A lithium complex grease was used as the lubricant for all tests. The experimental results indicate that surfaces with transverse lay orientations cause more initial surface damage than surfaces with longitudinal lay orientations for relatively low ratios of film thickness-to-composite surface roughness, and low ratios of surf ace wavelength-to-contact radius.Presented at the 47th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania May 4–7, 1992