Summary White etching cracks (WECs) are a form of subsurface-initiated rolling contact fatigue failure in hardened bearing steels. They are most commonly observed in rolling element bearings operating near motors or generators, particularly in wind turbine drivetrains. In WEC failures, cracks typically initiate below the surface, often at a non-metallic inclusion and grow until they reach the raceway surface, forming […]
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The global cosmetics market is valued at a staggering $700 billion per year, encompassing everything from skin creams and shampoos to shower gels and makeup. It’s a fast-paced industry where innovation is essential, especially as brands move toward more sustainable, vegan, and cruelty-free formulations. A product’s success isn’t just about what’s inside the bottle—it’s about the entire sensory experience. From […]
Read MoreWe are proud to announce that Ingram Tribology has successfully achieved ISO 9001 Certification! This globally recognised certification demonstrates our commitment to delivering the highest standards of quality across all aspects of our operations. It reinforces our dedication to meeting customer and regulatory requirements, and ensures that we continually improve our processes to provide the best products and services. A […]
Read MoreWe are excited to launch our latest training course: Bio-Tribology for Industry—designed specifically for researchers and product development scientists in the food, beverage, cosmetics, and medical industries. Why Take This Course? Understanding bio-tribology is essential for developing high-performance products that interact with the human body, whether it’s optimizing the feel of a skincare product, improving the texture of food and […]
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The Greenpower Trust is an incredible charity that sparks excitement for STEM careers by giving young people the opportunity to design, build, and race their own electric cars. At Haverfordwest High VC School in Pembrokeshire, an all-female race team is gearing up to compete in the F24 Greenpower series—and we had the privilege of supporting them! Last week, Marc and […]
Read MoreWe have expanded our testing capabilities with the addition of the new MTM-EC (mini traction machine electrical current)! This new instrument allows us to study the effects of electrical currents on lubricated contacts. In our growing electrified world, stray electrical currents can flow through mechanical devices. If the current is high, fluting damage can occur at the surface. At lower currents more […]
Read MoreIn today’s increasingly electrified world, machine elements are often located near electric motors and generators, where they can be exposed to stray currents. Electric vehicles and wind turbines are prime examples of where this issue can arise. These stray currents can significantly impact tribological contacts, accelerating subsurface alterations in the steel and leading to premature failures through pitting. This phenomenon, […]
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Micropitting is a type of fatigue wear commonly found on gear teeth. The gradual loss of material in the form of small surface pits leads to a change in the geometry of the component; if this is not controlled, it can result in failure of the part. The standardised method of evaluating a lubricants ability to reduce micropitting is with […]
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Our Christmas card this year depicts the scene of Santa enjoying the drinks left out for him near the fireplace. Santa is trying both port and hot chocolate and notices a distinct difference in the mouthfeel between the two. The port has a drier, thinner feel. Whilst the hot chocolate impacts a smoother, creamier feeling. The mouthfeel of different foods […]
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We have started a Podcast! Our first guest is Dr. Connor Myant from Imperial College. We discuss biotribology, as related to the testing of food and hip joint failures. We discuss the advances in 3D printing and how Connor moved from Tribology into 3D printing. We discuss all Connors current projects and thoughts for the future. The aim of this […]
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We have been busy preparing for the conferences this summer. By drafting some of our micropitting work for publication. This will be presented at STLE, Lubmat and TriboUK. We have been busy working on a rapid micropitting test that correlates to the FZG micropitting test. Our new test takes less than 40 hours and correlates very well with the FZG […]
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We are currently working on an exciting project with the Railway Standards Safety Board (RSSB) and the European Lubricating Grease Institute (ELGI), to develop a new performance test for Top of rail (TOR) materials. These TOR materials are used to ensure traction and reduce noise at the wheel/rail interface. This allows trains to start without the wheels spinning and stop […]
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This year the animals at the South Pole have been having fun demonstrating the different shapes of contacting bodies.
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A Stribeck Curve (sometimes also called a Stribeck Friction Curve) is a common name used to described friction vs entrainment speed results, measured on a tribometer. These are very useful as they give a good overview of the frictional performance of a lubricant. The Stribeck Curve is named after the German engineer Richard Stribeck, who conducted pioneering research on lubrication […]
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At the beginning of the first COVID lockdown in the UK – March 2020, we like many other people didn’t know what effect the lockdown would have on our business. But we did know and feel like we needed to help our local community. This included the manufacture of protective face visors, using our 3D printers. These were first manufactured […]
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Traction curves can be used to develop lubricants for specific applications, for example high traction fluids for CVTs. They can also be used to help understand the physical changes of the lubricant under high contact pressures. This can then be used to help develop new lubricants with special properties, for example with low traction to help in machine efficiency. The […]
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