Tribological consulting and contract testing

With our test laboratory, we are able to carry out a wide range of tribological tests for our customers. Both the technical and the chemical components play an important role here. Both factors are optimally covered by our know-how. We discuss the task together and carry out a status analysis, feasibility and success assessment. We examine, measure and test, and you receive a comprehensive results report at the end. Modern measurement technology records all relevant parameters: Friction values, wear rates, temperature curves, vibrations and noise development. The tests can be carried out under a wide range of conditions - from low temperature to high temperature, from normal pressure to high vacuum, from slow movements to high-speed applications. We interpret the measurement data and derive specific suggestions for optimization. The results report contains not only raw data, but also comprehensible explanations, graphics and recommendations for action. This gives you a solid basis for decision-making for your product development or quality assurance.

Each different combination of materials requires a different lubricant in order to achieve the optimum result. Take advantage of our know-how for the systematic optimization of your tribological systems. We examine the interaction of base material, surface treatment, coating and lubricant under real operating conditions. Our test benches simulate various types of movement: sliding, rolling, oscillating or combined movements. The load parameters - surface pressure, speed, temperature - are simulated exactly for your application. Modern surface measurement technology quantifies wear with nanometer accuracy. Friction coefficient measurements show the dynamic behavior over the entire service life. The analysis of wear mechanisms is particularly important: abrasion, adhesion, surface disintegration or tribochemical reactions each require adapted countermeasures. Our material database with the results of over 8,500 tests accelerates the pre-selection process. The result: an optimized material-lubricant combination that meets your requirements in terms of service life, efficiency and costs.

The service life of lubricants is a key quality feature. We can simulate the ageing behavior and service life of lubricants on our test benches. We have developed products for lifetime lubrication for many of our customers. The ageing of lubricants is a complex process that is influenced by many factors: Temperature, oxygen ingress, catalytic metals, shear stress and contamination. Our ageing tests reproduce these influences realistically. Accelerated procedures enable statements to be made about years or decades within a few weeks. We continuously monitor the critical parameters: Viscosity change, acid number development, oxidation products, additive degradation and metal content. Mechanical tests check the structural stability of greases under continuous stress. We validate the results through field tests and reference samples from real applications. We use statistical methods to create service life models that enable reliable predictions for maintenance intervals.

Are you using new plastics and are not sure whether the lubricants you have been using so far are compatible with these plastics? Then contact us, we will be happy to investigate this for you. We store your plastic samples in the relevant lubricants at various temperatures and regularly measure changes in weight and volume. Mechanical tests show changes in tensile strength, elongation and hardness. Microscopic examinations reveal surface changes and microcracks. For dynamically stressed plastic parts, we carry out endurance tests under the influence of lubricants. Our database contains results for hundreds of plastic-lubricant combinations and is constantly growing. The results help you to select the right material and avoid costly failures in the field.

Our test database contains the results of over 8,500 tribological tests and investigations. Any combination of materials and lubricants is included. Take advantage of our know-how for the efficient further development of your applications. This unique knowledge base has grown over decades and contains systematically documented test results from all industrial sectors. From standard materials such as steel and bronze to exotic materials such as titanium alloys or ceramics - we have tested the tribological properties in combination with a wide variety of lubricants. The database is intelligently structured and enables targeted searches for material pairings, operating conditions or application areas. Statistical evaluations show trends and correlations. Machine learning algorithms help to predict the properties of new combinations. For our customers, this means faster development by avoiding dead ends that have already been tested, well-founded pre-selection of promising variants and access to empirical values from similar applications. We can tailor the database queries specifically to your problem and prepare the results in comprehensible reports.

We use a variety of microscopes to assess, evaluate and visualize the results of the examination. You will be surprised at the images of surface roughness and signs of wear that are possible. High-speed images document dynamic processes such as lubricant film formation or the formation of wear particles. The microscopic images are often the key to understanding tribological phenomena and help with targeted optimization. All images are digitally archived and can be prepared for presentations or reports.