Tribology of protective coatings in aeronautics: interface dynamics assessment by tribometer and optical profiler
Modern tribology allows for a deeper understanding of how surfaces slide together triggering an improvement in protective coating for challenging conditions such as the one met in aeronautic. Knowledge has notably progressed through the use of advanced tribometer that provides accurate control on loading force together with high sensitivity frictional reading. Advances on third body, dry lubrification or galling damages particularly benefited from force quantification. Besides tribo-test, understanding of contact surfaces dramatically improved through the use of a high-resolution optical profiler that provides accurate and highly sensitive vertical measurement down to nanometer level. Influence of initial roughness prior test as much as exact wear rate after test are among the most efficient inputs for tribologist to understand tribology system in place.
This webinar given by Karl Delbe from ENI Tarbes (National School of Engineering) will provide evidence of such an approach combining tribology test with optical profiling of surfaces in contact. Concrete examples will illustrate the power of crossing information in order to improve coating stability and lifetime.
