About this Research Topic
Tribology, since its inception and even before the word was coined, has always been related to industry. The industrial world is full of machines that contain contacting components. Understanding its surfaces and interfaces in motion and their link to friction, lubrication, and wear is key for many applications. Tribology is of fundamental importance for understanding what happens at these interfaces and is essential for the design, reliability, and efficiency of systems of interest to a plethora of industrial sectors.
Novel challenges connected to industrial developments can stimulate new advances in tribology (for instance new generations of machine elements will need innovative materials, coatings, and lubricants). At present, there is a strong drive to develop less energy-consuming systems by at the same time keeping or even enhancing its power density and reliability. Taking into account tribological aspects starting from the design stage of industrial components or systems can have a huge impact on wear and friction losses; therefore, strongly affecting their reliability and efficiency, ultimately impacting emissions.
Monitoring of lubricant condition, wear, friction, vibrations and temperatures with adequate sensors can provide data for improving the performance of industrial systems and reduce expensive downtime. Tribology has had and will always have a strong impact on the industrial need to reduce losses and waste, for instance with the development of new and improved machine elements (such as bearings and gears), new materials and environmentally friendly lubricants. Research in tribology also drives the development of new technologies in biomedical devices and many other less classical fields related to tribology.
Manuscripts of different types can be submitted related to the Research Topic that include, but are not limited to the following:
• Industrial case studies
• Bearings
• Transmissions and gears
• Valve train
• Engine components, Lubricants, and Seals
• Materials Tribology
• Surface science and coatings
• Biomimetics Applications
• Tribology in maintenance, monitoring, and diagnostics
• Tribology and energy saving
• Tribology in manufacturing
• Nanotribology and MEMS
• Tribology and Industry 4.0
Image Credit: Gear Research Centre (FZG), TUM (2019)
Novel challenges connected to industrial developments can stimulate new advances in tribology (for instance new generations of machine elements will need innovative materials, coatings, and lubricants). At present, there is a strong drive to develop less energy-consuming systems by at the same time keeping or even enhancing its power density and reliability. Taking into account tribological aspects starting from the design stage of industrial components or systems can have a huge impact on wear and friction losses; therefore, strongly affecting their reliability and efficiency, ultimately impacting emissions.
Monitoring of lubricant condition, wear, friction, vibrations and temperatures with adequate sensors can provide data for improving the performance of industrial systems and reduce expensive downtime. Tribology has had and will always have a strong impact on the industrial need to reduce losses and waste, for instance with the development of new and improved machine elements (such as bearings and gears), new materials and environmentally friendly lubricants. Research in tribology also drives the development of new technologies in biomedical devices and many other less classical fields related to tribology.
Manuscripts of different types can be submitted related to the Research Topic that include, but are not limited to the following:
• Industrial case studies
• Bearings
• Transmissions and gears
• Valve train
• Engine components, Lubricants, and Seals
• Materials Tribology
• Surface science and coatings
• Biomimetics Applications
• Tribology in maintenance, monitoring, and diagnostics
• Tribology and energy saving
• Tribology in manufacturing
• Nanotribology and MEMS
• Tribology and Industry 4.0
Image Credit: Gear Research Centre (FZG), TUM (2019)
Keywords: Tribology, Industry, Mechanical Components, Energy, Manufacturing
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
