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Nicola Symonds

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Sliding Wear and Friction

Determining coefficient of friction

Talk to us about sliding wear

nC² staff use state-of-the-art tribometers housed at the University of Southampton.

Our sliding wear apparatus can create different conditions for the material pair:

  • Wear rates of both materials can be determined

  • Dynamic coefficient of friction (D.Cof)

  • Static coefficient of friction (S.Cof)

  • Point, line or area contact

  • Reciprocating or rotating motions

  • Sound levels recorded

Please get in touch with us so we can explain how Cof data can be used to improve the design of  your product.

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Please watch this short video to learn more about measuring friction

Expert Tribologists

Our team of specialist tribologists have the experience and expertise to select the optimum test conditions so you get the most information possible about your materials and how they will behave in service.

With doctorates in Tribology (the science of friction and wear) and Chemistry we have the right mix of knowledge to answer your questions.

  • A 'tribometer' is a piece of equipment use to measure friction and wear of tested samples

Computer Controlled

The work horse of our Tribology lab is the TE77, which is a reciprocating tribometer capable of high frequency data collection.  This system allows us to monitor the dynamic coefficient of friction during testing.

The loading and speed is computer controlled, so complex profiles can be completed quickly, continually monitoring the impact of the changes on the friction of the material pair.

 

TE77 Computerized control

The TE77 reciprocating tribometer

Controllable Parameters

  • Relative speed: up to 14 m/s
  • Sliding distance
  • Contact area
  • Loading fixed or variable: up to 1000 N
  • Lubricated or dry
  • Submerged in a bath or dripped lubricant
  • Room temperature, chilled or heated: up to 600°C
  • Pin material and finish
  • Plate material and finish

TE77 highlights

  • The TE77

    The Te77 is fully computer controlled with the ability to record at high sampling frequencies many test parameters such as friction, load, temperature, sliding speed etc.

  • Plan view

    Plan view of the stage with the head and loading arm moved back.

  • Stroke lengths

    We can remove the oil and replace the cam to provide a range of stroke lengths.

  • Torque

    We can fit a 20:1 reduction gearbox to provide more torque during low speed friction tests.

  • Temperature

    We have a heated plate that can take the base plate sample up to 600 degC.

  • Pin options

    Example of white plastic pin which has suffered material transfer after dry sliding on a black plastic plate.

  • Sound probe

    We also have the equipment to record sound levels during sliding tests to quantify the level of any squeaking that occurs.

A Question of Motion

With various tribometers at our fingertips we can recreate the motion and loading condition you require.

The pin-on-disc tribometer has a long history of standard wear and friction tests, in which a constant, single direction motion is required.  Coupled with our powerful post test analysis techniques this simple rig can be used to rank your materials.

Additionally using material characterisation techniques, we can interpret wear processes and give you an opinion on why the materials ranked the way they did.