Jie Zhang

‘It was at the start of my PhD when I first received training on an MTM to conduct research on the interactions between two engine oil additives. One of them was an antiwear additive that can form a tribofilm on rubbing surfaces to reduce wear. The MTM, coupled with a SLIM, enabled me to monitor the growth of the tribofilm and evaluate its tribological properties.’

‘The MTM is a multifunctional machine that can also be used to study wear. With the ball shaft fixed or not, you can achieve pure sliding or mixed rolling sliding. Another test rig I used for my PhD study was a HFRR. By comparing the wear behaviour using these three methods, we obtained insight into the antagonism between the two additives.’

‘In the following years of my PhD and postdoc research, PCS rigs always helped me generate reliable experimental data and further my study on different subjects. The EHD and USV rigs are also important to mention, as many tribology researchers know that they have contributed significantly to our research field.’

‘I was the first user of the ETM and HPR rigs, which were initially designed and manufactured for a couple of projects I was working on. Together with the designers and engineers from PCS, we promptly validated these machines, and soon PCS commercialised them to be utilised by all tribologists.’

‘Undoubtedly, newly designed machines need to be tested under extreme conditions to assess their abilities. Both PCS and I conducted machine-breaking tests simultaneously. Any time there was an issue, the very experienced engineers and designers responded immediately with either higher quality parts or modifications in design to solve them rapidly. They even came to Imperial college to solve the problem if it was urgent. Of course, this experience has broadened my knowledge in designing and engineering and bolstered my confidence in operating these machines and their generated data.’

‘Over the years, PCS machines have enabled and helped me to evaluate the performance of lubricants and their additives, develop standard test methods for the industry, solve problems faced by the industry, and initiate fundamental scientific research in different aspects.’

‘I would like to share a unique experience where I tested a chemical with MTM – After five years, I repeated the same test and obtained identical results, with a friction coefficient accurate to three decimal places.’

‘Without a doubt, PCS equipment was indispensable for my previous work. I am confident that these machines will continue to assist me in generating reliable data. With PCS’ support, I will receive guidance from the original machine designer to customise these machines to meet the needs of both industry and academia.’