The test methods available at the research facility for determining the friction coefficient can be used to characterise the transmission behaviour of various metallic bare or coated technical surfaces. Furthermore, friction-enhancing applications, intermediate elements and various intermediate media (lubricants, assembly pastes and adhesives) can be evaluated. In addition, behaviour under dynamic loads can be investigated. There are two test rigs on which static and sliding friction coefficients can be determined. The laboratory test rigs differ in the loading direction (transverse force and torsion) applied to the friction joint under examination. Investigations are generally based on the assumption of Coulomb's law of friction (FR = µ · FN).

Investigations into fretting wear are carried out using the friction block test rig. Unlike investigations into fretting fatigue, these are conducted without dynamic loading of the base material. A flat tensile specimen is clamped on one side, with the desired slip set via the block actuators. A notable feature of this test rig is its ability to simulate both line and areal contacts. The pressure in the contact can be adjusted via the friction block holder's preload. The materials of the base and counter materials, as well as the coatings, can be freely varied. Wear measurements are performed on the base material using a confocal microscope. Furthermore, the wear of the friction blocks can be determined using a high-precision balance.

We perform experimental model investigations to evaluate resistance to fretting wear, sliding/friction wear (including abrasive and erosive wear), among others, using our test rig for the standardised determination of static friction coefficients. For this purpose, the contact surface pair to be tested undergoes oscillating relative motion under normal force loading. Depending on the frequency, the relative displacement amplitude can be set between 0.01 mm and 10 mm. To measure small slip distances, we use relative displacement measurement with a laser extensometer.

Due to the complex tribological loading, it is not possible to fully simulate the processes in journal bearings. This is particularly evident in wear processes, shape deviations and contamination. To ensure operational safety, experimental investigations are therefore essential. The research facility has two test rigs of different sizes for tribological evaluation of journal bearing systems. Due to the wide range of requirements in this field of research, a broad experimental spectrum is offered. This covers the entire Stribeck curve, ranging from mixed-friction regime investigations with partial slip at a relative velocity of approximately 0.002 m/s, to high-speed turbomachines operating at a surface speed of 100 m/s.

Verifying the strength of components provides assurance that your drive system is reliable. The strength calculation, which is based on standards and the FKM method, focuses on the verification of the strength of components of any geometric shape made from steel, cast iron and aluminium. Common applications include shafts, axles and shaft-hub connections.

In addition to classical strength investigations, the transmission behavior of shaft-hub connections can be influenced by a multitude of factors and thus can be decisive for the functionality of the application. For example, slipping of interference and tapered interference fits or failure of keyways in key and pin connections leads to loss of function. For this purpose, we advise you on the design of your connection and conduct static as well as dynamic investigations. Accompanying this, we support you in the design with numerical analyses (FEM) or analytical calculations (e.g. DIN 7190).

Fretting fatigue strength is determined by means of experimental model investigations on the innovative friction block test rig. Due to the slip actuators being arranged in parallel to the mechanical tensile-compression test axis, it is possible to conduct independent investigations of interface pressure and slip on the tribological contact. This decoupling of the mechanical test axis from the tribological axis is a unique feature compared to similar test setups. Depending on customer requirements, the fatigue investigations can be conducted in either the finite-life regime or the transition region to endurance life.

The professorship's core competency is the experimental determination of the strength of rotationally symmetric components. We determine tolerable dynamic loads on components with free surfaces (e.g. notched shafts) or contact-loaded specimens (connections) within the finite-life, endurance and service-life strength ranges. Using our in-house test rigs, we can cover almost any application involving typical torsion and rotating bending loading types. Due to 25 years of experience in experimentation, we can offer special expertise in the field of shaft-hub connections. These include interference fits, tapered interference fits, key connections, polygon connections, and splined connections. Other applications can be tested with regard to component strength under tensile, compressive or bending loads. Past projects have involved testing components such as worm gears, bolts, connecting rods, levers and many others.

Determining the real characteristic values of materials or components is often essential for designing and optimising components in accordance with common standards and guidelines. In addition to static strength values, such as yield and tensile strength, fatigue strength values are particularly important for dynamically loaded systems. Tensile-compression fatigue strength or tensile-compression endurance strength is generally determined using standardised specimens and tests. The standard that underpins these tests is DIN 50100. The professorship's test rigs also allow for testing of boundary conditions that deviate from standards, for instance with regard to specimen geometries, mean stresses, or test frequencies.

Along with flank load capacity, tooth root load capacity is the most important design criterion for gears. Therefore, accurate knowledge of tooth root load capacity is of great importance for determining the load capacity of the entire gearbox. We can investigate the load capacity of your worm and spur gearboxes both experimentally and numerically, and use the results to make recommendations for increasing capacity.

The technical drawing is considered one of the most important components of technical product documentation due to its high and sensitive information content. Its completeness ensures the assembly and functionality of individual parts in the assembly context and thus customer satisfaction. We can provide assistance in the interpretation and design of Geometric Product Specification (GPS) to ensure that your drawing is completely and clearly specified.

Compliant mechanisms can be used as an alternative to conventional mechanisms in many areas of application. Desired movements are realised through the elastic deformation of the material rather than sliding and rolling of elements. This offers several advantages, including reduced individual part numbers, monolithic component design, freedom from friction, wear and backlash, low sensitivity to dirt, increased cleanliness, reduced maintenance, arbitrary scalability, increased precision, and an improved load capacity-to-mass ratio. At the MP Professorship, the optimisation-based design process for compliant mechanisms is a key area of research. Drawing on this expertise, we offer a comprehensive product development service for compliant systems, covering everything from the design and concept phase to detailed construction. Possible applications range from designing individually adapted solid-state joints for coupling with conventional components and solid-state actuators to creating compliant designs to substitute classical components and mechanisms for load transfer and shape-adaptive systems.