Maximising the life of car engines has far-reaching benefits – conserving resources, reducing waste and lowering emissions.
With this in mind, Tribology has an important part to play to improve the performance of the engine lubricants, to reduce friction and wear on the piston rings, cams and journal bearings.
In addition, the engine lubricant can have a direct impact on the efficiency and thus the miles per gallon of a vehicle.
Tribology plays a fundamental role in the development of engine oils, positively impacting engine performance and longevity.
Effective lubrication maintains a protective oil film between moving parts, minimising friction and wear. We work with our customers to develop and test engine oils that sustain this lubrication even under extreme conditions, ensuring consistent engine performance.
Through helping in formulation of oils and the selection of anti-wear additives, and reducing friction between moving engine components such as pistons and bearings, our work can deliver improved fuel efficiency and reduced wear and tear on critical engine parts, ultimately extending the engine’s lifespan.
Engine Oil Evaluation
Engine oil formulation can be optimised to build tribofilms – protective layers that adhere to surfaces – and significantly reduce friction and wear.
In our lab, we’re able to evaluate these tribofilms under a range of test conditions. This comprehensive testing allows researchers to assess the effectiveness of tribofilms in diverse real-world scenarios – ensuring that lubricants perform optimally in the face of varying temperatures, loads, and speeds.
“Ingram Tribology delivered high-quality results with great attention to detail and professionalism. They also met our deadlines and expectations with their fast and efficient service”
Maruti Sai Dhiraj Sakhamuri, University of Southampton
Tribological Thinking
Find out about our latest thinking, research, news and more.
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Maintaining safe and quiet railways
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…
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It’s Xmas Penguin Time
This year the animals at the South Pole have been having fun demonstrating the different shapes of contacting bodies.
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Stribeck Curves
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…
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Covid Response 2020
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…
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Traction Curves
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…