Presentation Profile
Advanced Tribological Testing: Innovations in Testing Modern Lubricants Using Pin-on-Disk Methods and Wear-Scar Analysis Standards
Currently Scheduled: 10/14/2026 - 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Room: Exhibit Hall Entrance
Main Author
Raj Shah - Koehler Instrument Company, Inc.
- Abhinav Pagidi - Koehler Instrument Company, Inc.
- Gavin Cunningham - Koehler Instrument Company, Inc.
Abstract:
When an electric vehicle is in use, a small amount of electrical charge is generated by the motor and builds up in a rotating rod within it called a “shaft.” From there, the charge travels through the lubricant to reach the bearing, causing damage and wearing it out. With the rising popularity of electric vehicles, conventional standards and regulations cannot be applied the same way. For this reason, researchers Leonardo Israel Farfan Cabrera, Seungjoo Lee, Sean Skowron, and Ali Erdemir adapted the pin-on-disk setup to analyze the extent of damage to the bearing. Following ASTM G99-17, they added their own modifications to replicate the electric vehicle conditions. A simulated electrical charge was distributed evenly across the metal disk through a carbon brush while the entire apparatus was covered by an airtight plexiglass box to control the atmosphere. As for wear-scar analysis, they utilized an optical profilometer to get an accurate measurement of the wear volume on the pin and calculated “Disk volume loss” through the approximation equation. After running 12 different tests, they were able to identify that electricity in the presence of normal air will drastically increase metal degradation, regardless of the type of lubricant. Thus, they came up with the term “electro-tribo-oxidation,” implying that oxidation is accelerated when in the presence of electrical charges in EVs. Conversely, an environment with only nitrogen decreased wear by almost 50%, and with the addition of electricity, the results were the same as those of a regular pin-on-disk under standard conditions. This innovation makes it possible to design or evaluate modern lubricants that are specifically formulated for electric vehicles and significantly reduce wear of metallic components.
