Tribology has been an essential part of the development of improved powertrains for decades and - even with a growing shift to electrical vehicles - this continues to be the case today.
The powertrain of a vehicle encompasses every component that is involved in the conversion of power to movement. This is true for any sort of vehicle, from boats to planes and cars to bikes, although each of these will have very different requirements placed on powertrain components. However, one thing all will have in common is that they will consist of many moving parts that are in near-constant contact with other components. It is in these contacts – found in any powertrain – where tribological research has been focused to continually improve and optimise designs.
PCS’ range of instruments are used extensively by industry and academia to achieve this continual improvement. The MTM and ETM are key tools used for this work. Both have independently driven specimens which enable a wide range of contact conditions to be replicated, and together cover an impressive range of contact pressures from close to 0 to 3.5 GPa with standard specimens, and even more with non-standard specimens. This versatility means that researchers can use these instruments to investigate all the different contacts you would find in a whole host of powertrain applications, investigating wear, friction and film build up. The EHD is also extensively used in this area for investigating film thicknesses and traction coefficients of lubricants found in these systems; and the MPR is used to investigate how parts and lubricants will stand up to prolonged use over the years.
As an area of significant power wastage in vehicles, powertrains have always been of interest to tribologists. This interest will only continue to grow, as the frictional losses in the powertrains of electric vehicles are a larger portion of total losses than in internal combustion engines. As such, powertrain research and developments that tribology can bring are only going to become more important in the future.
Agriculture
The powertrains in agricultural vehicles must regularly deal with high-stress forces, and be very reliable to prevent down-time. One way this reliability is improved is through the optimisation of tribological contacts.
Automotive
Automotive powertrains are an area ripe for continual improvement through tribological study, and this study is important now more than ever as the industry adapts to more complicated systems incorporating electric power.
Aviation
With reliability forming the cornerstone of the aviation industry, knowing how components in your powertrain will wear and fail is fundamentally important for knowing when they need to be inspected and replaced.
Machinery
The requirements on powertrains in machinery are as varied as the jobs performed by the machines. Every one of them will need lubricating, and choosing the right lubricant comes down to knowing the tribology of the contacts involved.
Marine
Marine powertrains can be large or small, and some have to deal with as much as 80MW of power and 7.6MNm of torque. These conditions mean lubrication and part protection are critical to the longevity of an engine.
Mining
Facing constant high loads, harsh and dirty environments, and huge costs associated with downtime, the powertrains in mining vehicles have to be reliable even in the most adverse conditions. Tribological studies helps ensure this is the case.
Trains
Trains often now work by using a diesel engine to generate power, which is then converted to electrical power, which runs the motors to drive the train. These myriad components and processes are designed with tribology and lubrication in mind.
Wind Turbines
Wind power remains one of the most rapidly growing renewable power sources, so the tribological problems found in the powertrain - from the blades to the generator - are the focus of significant research.
A fully automated, Ball-on-Cylinder wear test system which provides a fast, repeatable assessment of the lubricity of aviation fuels.
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A fully automatic laboratory instrument for evaluating the scuffing load resistance of diesel (middle distillate) fuel according to ASTM D6078.
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A fully automated, benchtop instrument, measuring lubricant film thickness down to 1nm in the elastohydrodynamic (EHD) lubricating regime.
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A ball-on-plate reciprocating friction and wear test system, assessing the performance of both fuels and lubricants under boundary conditions.
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Triple disc machine for researching rolling contact fatigue (RCF) failure mechanisms in the form of micro and macro pitting under lubricated and unlubricated conditions.
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A ball-on-disc instrument for measuring the frictional properties of lubricated and unlubricated contacts under a wide range of rolling and sliding conditions.
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Testing grease in conditions that mimic real-world mechanical stresses has always been a significant challenge for researchers. Starvation during these …
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