This test device was developed to determ­ine fric­tion factors under vacuum/high vacuum and high temper­at­ure condi­tions up to 700°C for life­time tests and bench­mark­ing of differ­ent mater­i­als. The sample temper­at­ure is meas­ured on-line, the torque meas­ure­ment is done punc­tual (indi­vidual inter­val 10 > 120 s) using follow­ing method: the rota­tion is done CW and CCW for a defined number of rota­tions, then a differ­ence meas­ure­ment is done. This is neces­sary for piezo sensors which are not usable for on-line meas­ure­ment due drift­ing of the signal. Post-Analysis may cover meas­ure­ment of wear by topo­graphic means. Investigation of surface morpho­logy or mater­ial trans­fer is possible using SEM/EDX. Changes in the subsur­face micro­struc­ture can be analysed locally resolved by EBSD (Electron Back Scattering Diffraction). The device is fully PC-controlled. On-line-data acquis­i­tion offers to post-process data, e.g. for auto­matic calcu­la­tion of fric­tion coef­fi­cients in running-in or steady state, as well as bench­mark of differ­ent mater­i­als under high vacuum and high temper­at­ure condi­tions.

Measurement of

Friction force / coef­fi­cient (punc­tual, indi­vidual inter­val
10 > 120 s)

• Temperature (on-line)
• Wear (geomet­ric or mass loss)

Geometry: cone-disk-on-ring

Geometry: pin-on-disk

Mounted setup with induct­ive heat­ing

Full test setup

Specifications
Test	Measurement of Friction force / coef­fi­cient (punc­tual, defined inter­val 10 > 120 s) Temperature (on-line) Wear (geomet­ric or mass loss)
Temperature	from RT up to + 700 °C
Load (contact pres­sure)	3 to 30 N (50kPa > 300kPa for Cone-ring-on-disk, higher hert­zian pres­sure up to MPa range possible depend­ing on radius of pin-on-disk)
Speed / Motion	0.001 > 0.2 m/s (1 > 150 rpm)
Environments	Vacuum to high vacuum (10^3 > 10^5 mbar depend­ing on outgass­ing beha­viour of sample)
Samples	Cone-ring-on-disk, pin-on-disk
Accuracy	Torque 10 Nm max (piezo) Sample temper­at­ure ± 10 °C Load ± 0.1 N