Tribology Centre

dr hab. inż. Remigiusz Michalczewski
Head of Tribology Centre

tribologia@itee.lukasiewicz.gov.pl
tel. (+48) 48 364-42-41 ext. 247

prof. dr hab. inż. Marian Szczerek
dr hab. inż. Daniel Pieniak
dr inż. Edyta Osuch-Słomka
mgr inż. Marek Kalbarczyk
mgr inż. Anita Mańkowska-Snopczyńska
mgr inż. Maciej Łuszcz
inż. Andrzej Snarski-Adamski
mgr inż Michał Gibała
mgr inż. Jarosław Wulczyński
Mieczysław Hebda

The activity of the Tribology Centre revolves around the topics of friction, wear and lubrication of machine parts and tool components, and it is particularly focused on research methods and devices. The main areas of the Centre’s activity include the following:

the analysis of friction and wear processes on a macro, micro and nano scale;
the development of methods for improving tribological characteristics of machine parts;
the development of systems for assessment of tribological properties of structural materials and greases; and
the development or research and test instruments for tribological analyses.

The Centre is equipped with world class tribological test and research apparatus. Within the Centre’s structure there also is a Tribological Research Laboratory accredited by the Polish Accreditation Centre (scope of accreditation: AB 891), as part of which the following organisational units operate: the Scanning Microscopy and X-ray Microanalysis Unit; the Atomic Force, Inteferometric and Optic Microscopy Unit; the X-ray Diffraction and Emission Spectroscopy Unit; and the Metrology Unit.

The Centre cooperates with many Polish and foreign universities and R&D organisations, e.g.: the Krakow, Lodz, Rzeszow, Warsaw, Silesian, Wroclaw and Poznan Universities of Technology; the Kazimierz Pulaski University of Technology and Humanities in Radom; the University of Lodz; the University of Monterrey in Mexico; the University of Malta; the UC Chile; the Institute for Superhard Materials of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine; the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing in Berlin; the Austrian Excellence Centre for Tribology; and the entral Metallurgical Research & Development Institute in Cairo. The scientific and research instrumentation designed at the Centre and developed at the Institute is used at many Polish universities of technology, research institutes (also incorporated as part of the Polish Academy of Sciences), and industrial laboratories. It is also exported to China, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Israel, South Korea, Mexico, Germany, Russia, Hungary, Vietnam, and the USA.

PCA-accredited tribological testing of lubricating oils

Accreditation Certificate AB 891

Test rig	Standards / procedures
T-02 four-ball tribotester	PN-C-04147:1976, p. 2.1: Determination of Load-Wear Index (I_h) and Weld Point (P_z) Test procedure J_PB/LBT/02: Determination of Scuffing Load (P_t) and Limiting Pressure of Seizure (p_oz) Test procedure J_PB/LBT/03: Determination of Wear Scar Diameter (AW properties)

Test rig

Standards / procedures

T-02 four-ball tribotester

PN-C-04147:1976, p. 2.1: Determination of Load-Wear Index (I_h) and Weld Point (P_z)

Test procedure J_PB/LBT/02: Determination of Scuffing Load (P_t) and Limiting Pressure of Seizure (p_oz)

Test procedure J_PB/LBT/03: Determination of Wear Scar Diameter (AW properties)

Tribological tests of lubricants and lubricated engineering materials on model samples

Test rig	Standards
T-02 universal four-ball tribotester	PN-C-04147:1976: PN-C-04362:2017-03 PN-EN ISO 20623:2018-02 ASTM D2783 - 19 ASTM D2596 - 20 ASTM D4172 - 20 ASTM D2266 - 01 ASTM D5183 - 05 IP 239 - 2014 IP 300 - 1982
T-03 four-ball pitting tribotester	IP 300 - 1982
T-09 pin and vee-block tribotester	PN-M-04308:1975 ASTM D3233 - 19 ASTM D2670 - 20 ASTM D2625 - 94 ASTM D5620 - 94
T-11 pin/ball-on-disk tribotester for testing at elevated temperatures (up to 300°C)	Test methods developed at the customer's request
T-13 crossed-cylinder Brugger tribotester	DIN 51347-1:2000 DIN 51347-2:2000
T-15 ring-on-disk tribotester for testing at elevated temperatures (up to 300°C)	Test methods developed at the customer's request
SRV4 Optimol Instruments tribotester for testing in the conditions of high-frequency oscillating motion – at high temperature (up to 900ºC), or air conditioning	ASTM D7421 - 19 ASTM D5706 - 16 ASTM D7755 - 11 ASTM D6425 - 19 ASTM D5707 - 19

Tribological tests of engineering materials on model samples, in particular under dry friction conditions

Test rig	Standards
T-01M pin/ball-on-disk tribotester	ASTM G99 - 17 Test methods developed at the customer's request
T-05 block-on-ring tribotester	ASTM D2714 - 94 ASTM G77 - 17 ASTM G176 - 03 ASTM D3704 - 96 ASTM D2981 – 94 Test methods developed at the customer's request
T-10 ball-on-disk tribotester for precise testing of thin coatings	ASTM G99 – 17 Test methods developed at the customer's request

Tribological tests of engineering materials on model samples - under extreme conditions

Test rig	Test procedures
T-21 ball-on-disk tribotester for testing at high temperatures (up to 750°C)	Test methods developed at the customer's request
T-25 tribotester for testing at low temperatures (down to -50ºC)	Test methods developed at the customer's request
T-26 tribotester for testing in a vacuum (down to 10^-5mbar)	Test methods developed at the customer's request

Tribological tests of biomaterials and engineering materials in reciprocating motion - on model samples

Test rig	Standards
T-17 reciprocating pin-on-plate tribotester	ASTM F732 – 17 Test methods developed at the customer's request

Tribological testing of engineering materials in the mili, micro, and nano scale

Test rig	Test procedure
NTR2 CSM Instruments nanotribometer with the possibility of reciprocating, rotating, or oscillating-rotating motion	Test methods developed at the customer's request

Tribological tests of abrasive wear of engineering and tool materials - on model samples

Test rig	Standards
T-07 dry sand abrasion tribotester	ГОСТ 23.208-79
T-20 slurry abrasion tribotester	PN-EN ISO 26424:2016-05 Test methods developed at the customer's request

Gear testing

Type of the test	Test rig	Standards
Tribological testing of spur gears (scuffing, pitting, micropitting) with the possibility of low-speed testing and friction torque measurement	T-12U back-to back spur gear test rig T-12UF universal back-to back spur gear test rig	PN-ISO 14635-1:2015-10 IP 334 - 1986 ASTM D5182 - 19 CEC L-07 - 95 (2014) ISO 14635-2:2004 CEC L-84-02 (2019) ISO 14635-3:2005 FVA Information Sheet No. 2/IV (1997) FVA Information Sheet No. 54/7 (1993) DGMK Information No. 17/02 (2002) ASTM D4998 - 13
Tribological testing of bevel gears (scuffing, pitting) with the possibility of friction torque measurement	T-30 back-to back bevel gear test rig	Procedures: T-30 ZAC STOŻK-Ł-7,7-90: scuffing test T-30 PIT STOŻK-Ł-3,8-90/8: pitting test
Cyclic testing of gear tooth bending fatigue strength	T-32 pulsator	SAE J 1619: 2017
Measuring the friction torque of gearboxes, particularly in extreme thermal conditions (from -50 up to +50ºC)	T-34 test stand	Test methods developed at the customer's request

Tribological research of hip joint endoprostheses

Test rig	Standards
T-24 hip joint simulator	ISO 14242-2:2000 (modified)

Tapping torque testing

Test rig	Standards
• T-18 tapping torque tribotester	ASTM D5619-00

Tribological tests of bearing greases in a rolling bearing

Test rig	Standards
T-29 elevated-temperature high-speed tribotester	ASTM D3336 - 20a

Type of diagnostics	Diagnostic apparatus	Methods
Vibration and noise analysis	Pulse B X11 and B X12 multi-channel vibration and noise analysers Portable vibration and noise analyser	Own method or to be agreed with the customer
Temperature field analysis	Thermographic camera	Own method or to be agreed with the customer

Type of research	Analytical/measurement instruments	Analytical/measurement methods
In the micro scale - surface images and elemental analyses (point, line, area)	SU-70 field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and NSS 312 energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS)	Methods to be agreed with the customer
In the micro scale - elemental analysis of the material, distribution of elements in the surface layer	JY 10000 RF glow-discharge optical emission spectrometer (GD-OES)	Methods to be agreed with the customer
In the micro/nano scale - stereometric images of the surface	Q-scope 250 atomic force microscope (AFM)	Methods to be agreed with the customer
In the mili/micro scale - images of the surface	MM-40/L3FA optical microscope	Methods to be agreed with the customer
In the micro/nano scale – surface roughness measurement and stereometric images of the surface	CCI interferometer Form Talysurf PGI 830 stylus profilometer	Methods to be agreed with the customer
In the micro scale – microhardness measurement	FM-800 microhardness meter machine	Methods to be agreed with the customer
In the micro scale - phase and physico-mechanical (stress) analyses	XRD D8 DISCOVER X-ray diffractometer	Methods developed at Łukasiewicz-ITEE
Hardness measurement	KP 15002 P hardness meter machine	Hardness scales: HB (PN-H-04350:1978), HRA, HRF, HRB, HRC

Oferta sprzedaży
urządzeń do badań tribologicznych

The Tribology Centre is open to organizing and conducting research internships for people from Poland and abroad, in particular for:

students of technical universities, preparing engineering and master's theses
PhD students
research staff of technical universities
employees of the industry sector, preparing doctoral dissertations

We offer internships in the following fields:

Tribological tests of lubricants, engineering and tool materials
Tribological tests of thin anti-wear coatings
Tribological tests under extreme conditions (vacuum, temperature, loads)
Milli, micro and nanoscale tribological studies
Tribological and fatigue tests of gears
Testing of various forms of wear: scuffing / seizure, abrasive wear, pitting, micropitting, fretting
Surface analyses

We have experienced scientific and research staff. The internships may be conducted in Polish or English.

We have extensive research and analytical facilities.

Examples of devices for tribological testing on model samples

Przykładowe urządzenia do badań na próbkach modelowych

Examples of component testing devices

Examples of analytical instruments

If interested, please contact the Director of the Tribology Centre.

T-01M PIN-ON-DISK TRIBOTESTER

T-02U UNIVERSAL FOUR-BALL TRIBOTESTER

T-05 BLOCK-ON RING TRIBOTESTER

T-07 DRY SAND ABRASIVE TRIBOTESTER

T-10 BALL-ON-DISK TRIBOTESTER

T-11 ELEVATED TEMPERATURE PIN-ON-DISK TRIBOTESTER


	T-12U UNIVERSAL BACK-TO-BACK SPUR GEAR TEST RIGj

T-13 CROSSED-CYLINDER BRUGGER TRIBOTESTER

T-15 ELEVATED TEMPERATURE RING-ON-DISK TRIBOTESTER

T-17 RECIPROCATING TESTING MACHINE WITH PIN-ON-PLATE TRIBOSYSTEM

T-20 SLURRY ABRASIVE BALL-CRATERING TRIBOTESTER

T-21 HIGH TEMPERATURE BALL-ON-DISK TRIBOTESTER

Centrum Tribologii (poprzednio Zakład Tribologii) posiada bogate doświadczenie w opracowywaniu i wdrożeniach urządzeń do badań tribologicznych - procesów tarcia, zużycia i smarowania.

Przez ponad 30 lat działalności został opracowany i wytworzony unikatowy zestaw 30 typów urządzeń do badań tribologicznych. Są nowatorskie w skali międzynarodowej, częściowo powstałe w ramach uczestnictwa w międzynarodowych programach takich jak np. Program VAMAS - inicjatywa państw G-7 pn. Versailles Programme on Andvanced Materials and Standards. Wiele powstało w ramach krajowych projektów badawczo-rozwojowych. Niektóre urządzenia zostały opracowane na indywidualne zlecenie klienta.

Urządzenia są opracowywane z myślą umożliwienia prowadzenia badań nie tylko wg norm krajowych, ale też najważniejszych zagranicznych – ASTM, DIN, IP, ISO, CEC. Niektóre zostały opracowane z punktu widzenia prowadzenia badań wg metod własnych klientów.

Oryginalność i innowacyjność opracowanych urządzeń przejawia się w blisko 30 patentach oraz ponad 30 złotych i srebrnych medalach oraz wyróżnieniach na światowych wystawach innowacji, wynalazków i nowych technologii – m.in.: Bruksela, Budapeszt, Casablanca, Genewa, Londyn, Łódź, Moskwa, Norymberga, Pittsburgh, Poznań.

Urządzenia opracowywane są w wersji „na stół” (badania na próbkach modelowych), jak również w wersjach „ciężkich”, w szczególności w przypadku badań komponentowych (np. koła zębate, łożyska toczne). W większości posiadają skomputeryzowane systemy sterująco-pomiarowe.

Urządzenie T-11 typu trzpień/kula-tarcza do badań tribologicznych w podwyższonej temperaturze

Stanowisko T-30 do tribologicznych badań kół zębatych stożkowych

Symulator T-31 do badania tarcia i zużycia spodów obuwia

O wysokiej jakości urządzeń świadczy to, że wiele z nich zostało wdrożonych w dużych przedsiębiorstwach przemysłowych, np.: LOTOS Lab, PKN Orlen, Enea, „Azoty” Tarnów, Silesia Oil. Praktycznie wszystkie krajowe wyższe uczelnie techniczne posiadają opracowane i wytworzone w Instytucie urządzenia badawcze, podobnie jak wiele instytutów badawczych, a także uniwersytetów. Obecnie liczba wdrożeń aparatury to ponad 200. Mamy wdrożenia zagraniczne - w Chinach, Chorwacji, Czechach, Egipcie, Izraelu, Korei Płd., Meksyku, Niemczech, Rosji, USA, na Węgrzech i w Wietnamie.

Jesteśmy otwarci na opracowywanie kolejnych urządzeń do badań tribologicznych. W razie zainteresowania prosimy o kontakt z Dyrektorem Centrum Tribologii.