Tribology is the study of friction, wear, and lubrication of surfaces in relative motion, crucial for enhancing the performance and longevity of machinery. It aims to minimize energy loss and improve efficiency, with significant economic implications, as losses due to neglecting tribological principles can account for billions annually. The field has historical roots dating to da Vinci's observations and has evolved to become essential in modern engineering practices.

1. Engr. Tarique Ahmed Memon
Lecturer, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Quaid-e-Awam University of Engineering Sciences &
Technology (QUEST) Campus Larkano, Pakistan.

2. WHAT IS TRIBOLOGY?
• Derived From the Greek word ‘tribos’ means
rubbing or sliding.
• It focuses on friction, wear and lubrication of
interacting surfaces in relative motion.
• Tribology is the study of the science and
technology of interacting surfaces in relative
motion.
• Tribological knowledge helps to improve service
life, safety and reliability of interacting machine
components; and yields substantial economic
benefits.

3. Tribology
Friction
Wear
Lubrication
Resistance to relative motion
Gradual removal, damaging or
displacement of material.
Control of friction and wear by
introducing a friction-reducing film
between moving surfaces in contact.

4. NEED OF TRIBOLOGICAL STUDY
• To minimize and eliminate losses.
• Greater efficiency, performance, fewer breakdowns
& savings.
• Study various losses and analysis of losses.
• Reduce losses by introducing a layer of lubrication.
• Atomic and molecular observations on sliding
surfaces.

5. Importance of Tribology
• Tribology is crucial to modern machinery which uses sliding and
rolling surfaces.
• Examples of productive friction
• brakes, clutches, driving wheels on trains and automobiles, bolts,
and nuts.
• Examples of productive wear
• writing with a pencil, machining, polishing, etc.
• Examples of unproductive friction and wear
• internal combustion and aircraft engines, gears, cams, bearings, and
seals.
• According to some estimates, losses resulting from ignorance of
tribology amount in the United States to about 4% of its gross
national product (or about $200 billion dollars per year in 1966),
and approximately one-third of the world’s energy resources in
present use.

6. • The increasing application of tribological information
can result in considerable savings in the consumption
of energy and material, as well as in production and
maintenance costs.
• Energy and raw material resources can be conserved,
environmental damage can be avoided, and
occupational safety and protection can be improved.
• The application of tribology in engineering
encompasses all phases of development, design,
construction, manufacturing, and maintenance of
moving mechanical systems in a multitude of industrial
and economic fields.

8. Tribology for Energy Conservation
• Tribology has a part to play in the
development of energy efficient technology at
many different levels;
• in manufacture, in enabling components to
operate with long life and low friction during
use and in making practicable innovative,
energy saving engines and transmissions.

9. Role of Tribology in Energy Efficiency
• Tribology has a key role to play in the introduction of
energy efficient technology.
• Tribology is particularly important in today's world
because so much energy is lost to friction in
mechanical components.
• To use less energy, we need to minimize the amount
that is wasted.
• Significant energy is lost due to friction in sliding
interfaces.
• Therefore, finding ways to minimize friction and wear
through new technologies in tribology is critical to a
greener and more sustainable world.

10. History of Tribology
• Leonardo da Vinci commented on the effects of friction in the 1400s,
• it wasn’t until the mid-1960s that tribology was coined by Dr. H. Peter Jost and
accepted as the term for the study and application of the principles of friction,
lubrication, and wear.
• In the early 1960s, there was a dramatic increase in the reported failures of plant and
machinery due to wear and associated causes, some causing heavy financial losses.
• Continuous processes made machinery breakdowns more costly and serious than ever.
• In 1966, Jost published a report which highlighted the cost of friction, wear and
corrosion to the UK economy (1.1-1.4% of GDP).
• This trend was recognized by specialists involved in the subjects of friction, wear, and
lubrication, and several research studies reported on the impact of wear, corrosion,
and friction on machinery, manufacturing productivity, and costs.
• As a result, tribology became a mainstream field of science, and many universities
offer it as part of their mechanical engineering department curriculum.
• The early focus of tribology was on improving operation and extending the lifecycle of
industrial machinery.

11. Benefits of Tribology
• Helps in reducing friction and wear.
• Proper type of lubrication can be easily selected
• Increased efficiency and life of a product or machine.
• Best utilization of a machine can be achieved.
• Corrosion prevention.
• Investigation of damage
• Management of knowledge
• Environmental friendly and Recyclable
• The principles of friction, wear and lubrication are the most
important in tribology and are often engineered to optimize
the efficiency, performance and reliability of a tribological
system.

12. The End