A tribosystem is a

tribological Tribology is the science and engineering of interacting surfaces in relative motion. It includes the study and application of the principles of friction, lubrication and wear. Tribology is highly interdisciplinary, drawing on many academic field ...

system that consists of at least two contacting bodies and any environmental factor that affects their interaction. Tribologists study tribological systems in detail, and devise tribological test procedures.

Definition

According t
ASTM G40-17
a tribosystem is "any system that contains one or more triboelements, including all mechanical, chemical, and environmental factors relevant to tribological behavior." Here, ''triboelement'' refers to "one of two or more solid bodies that comprise a sliding,

rolling Rolling is a type of motion that combines rotation (commonly, of an axially symmetric object) and translation of that object with respect to a surface (either one or the other moves), such that, if ideal conditions exist, the two are in contact ...

, or

abrasive An abrasive is a material, often a mineral, that is used to shape or finish a workpiece through rubbing which leads to part of the workpiece being worn away by friction. While finishing a material often means polishing it to gain a smooth, reflec ...

contact, or a body subjected to impingement or

cavitation Cavitation is a phenomenon in which the static pressure of a liquid reduces to below the liquid's vapour pressure, leading to the formation of small vapor-filled cavities in the liquid. When subjected to higher pressure, these cavities, cal ...

." More simply speaking, a tribosystem is a tribological system that consists of at least two contacting bodies, including the environment in which the interaction takes place. The complete description of a tribosystem includes all relevant factors that govern the tribological behavior of the system. Thus, depending on the aim of the tribological analysis, the tribosystem boundary is flexible and can be drawn more or less widely.

Describing Tribosystems

The description of tribosystems is based on a detailed assessment of relevant system inputs, outputs and losses, as well as an overall description of the system structure. The following table gives an overview.

Relevance

The complete description of a tribosystem is the first step when devising a tribological test procedure. Since tribological tests are often carried out on simplified model systems using standardized

tribometer A tribometer is an instrument that measures tribological quantities, such as coefficient of friction, friction force, and wear volume, between two surfaces in contact. It was invented by the 18th century Dutch scientist Musschenbroek A tribo ...

s, a complete description of the tribosystem allows for tribological testing across different scales. For example, if the tribological analysis aims to investigate a specific gear contact in a complex

gearbox Propulsion transmission is the mode of transmitting and controlling propulsion power of a machine. The term ''transmission'' properly refers to the whole drivetrain, including clutch, gearbox, prop shaft (for rear-wheel drive vehicles), differe ...

, exact knowledge of tribological inputs allows tribologists to devise a simplified test setup involving two gears only. Conversely, if the analysis aims to develop a new lubricant formulation for gearbox applications, a rough description of the gearbox-tribosystem allows to reduce testing to relevant system inputs. Thus, detailed knowledge of the tribosystem can significantly reduce the development effort for

machine A machine is a physical system using Power (physics), power to apply Force, forces and control Motion, movement to perform an action. The term is commonly applied to artificial devices, such as those employing engines or motors, but also to na ...

s and

lubricant A lubricant (sometimes shortened to lube) is a substance that helps to reduce friction between surfaces in mutual contact, which ultimately reduces the heat generated when the surfaces move. It may also have the function of transmitting forces, t ...

References

{{reflist Tribology