DUCOM ROLLER ON ROLLER TRIBOMETER

Product information sheet

Roller on roller or Twin disc

• 477/A, 4th Phase, Peenya industrial area,Bangalore-560 058,India

• Phone: +91-80-4080-5555│ Fax: +91-80-4080-5510
Asia

• 620, Johnson Ave,Suite 5, Bohemia,Newyork-11716, USA

• 1907 N. Mendell St.,Suite 115-B, Chicago, IL–60642,USA
America • Phone: +1 (847) 737-1590 │Fax: +1 (847) 737-1580

• Center for Innovation, L. J. Zielstraweg 2,9713 GX, Groningen, The Netherlands

• Phone: +31 (62) 564-6728
Europe
 About Ducom
Founded in 1978, Ducom Instruments has led the way in designing and manufacturing
advanced materials testing instruments with a specialization in tribology. Applying cutting-
edge technology and strong design principles to its products, Ducom focusses on providing
customers with an excellent ownership experience starting with ease of use and
maintenance.

Our locations in the United States, Netherlands and in India each have an in-house Research
& Development initiative coupled with development partnerships with world renowned
institutions. As a result, Ducom holds several proprietary technologies, copyrights and patents
with additional filings every year. Many of these technologies are applied to our instruments,
and work in the background so users can enjoy better results and user experiences.

Our instruments are operational all over the world. Research labs working on cutting edge
technology development which requires advanced and highly configurable test systems to
standardized quality control requirements which rely on highly repeatable systems to
accurately monitor product quality test instruments by Ducom.

Certifications

ISO 9001:2008 Certified Organization

AS9100:2009 Certified Manufacturing Organization

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 Basic Instrument
Roller on Roller Tribometer (see Fig. 1) is used for
friction, fatigue and wear testing of materials that
experience rolling and sliding, for example, materials
used in rolling element bearings, gears and cam-
follower within transportation industry.

Ducom Roller on Roller Tribometer can achieve

maximum test load up to 8000 N and maximum
speed up to 3000 rpm during pure rolling (100 % slip),
sliding / rolling and pure sliding (0% slip). The
experiments can be conducted in lubricated or dry
state. In the case of dry state, for applications in hot
metal forming, there is a provision for furnace
heating up to 700 °C. This tribometer is a
multifunctional system, that is, the roller on roller
Figure 1. Ducom Roller on Roller Tribometer
configuration (see Fig. 2A) can be replaced by a block
(up to 8000 N)
on roller, pin on roller and ball on roller (see Fig. 3).
This tribometer is often used to test the lubricants for power transmission and also selection
of the materials with high rolling contact fatigue life. C

A. B.

Figure 2. Two test rollers in contact. Bottom roller is dipped in a lubricating oil reservoir for
lubricated tests (A). Wear on the bottom roller (B).

Applications
• Screening of lubricants for high load power transmission systems at different slip ratios
(Ex. gear oils)
• Investigate the tribological behaviour of lubricants and steel interaction up to 120 °C
• Study the role of material structure in its friction and wear resistance behavior
• Rolling contact fatigue behaviour of materials used in bearings and railway wheels
• High temperature tribology (up to 700 °C) of materials used in metal forming

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 Functional Features
• High temperature control: The entire test area can be heated up to 700 °C using a furnace
heating system. Also, oil cup can be heated up to 120 °C using a pair of resistive heaters.
• High load control: Two different loading range can be provided using the pneumatic
loading unit. Medium load range of 500 to 5000 N and high load range of 1000 to 8000 N.
• Variable speed control: Speed of each rollers is controlled independent of each other,
using two motors. Therefore, variable
slide to roll ratio can be achieved by
setting different speeds for two
rollers. The other advantage is that
the motion direction can be set to
clockwise or counter clockwise.
• Multiple contact conditions: As
shown in Figure 3, the line contact in
roller on roller configuration can be
replaced by a point contact (ball on Figure 3. Examples of test arrangements made
roller) or area contact (block on possible by choice of sample adapters.
roller).

Technical Specifications

Test variables Unit

Load N 10 to 1000 500 to 5000 1000 to 8000

Speed rpm up to 3000 up to 3000 up to 500

Roller size mm 60 x 10 30 x 10 30 x 10
(diameter x width)

Linear wear µm up to 2000 up to 2000 up to 2000

Slip ratio % 0 to 100 0 to 100 0 to 100

Lubricant °C 120 120 120

temperature
Furnace heating °C 700 - -

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 Principle of Operation
Ducom Roller on Roller Tribometer is comprised of two spindles in parallel where each spindle
is driven by a variable speed motor, automated loading unit, heating unit, friction torque
sensor and linear wear sensor (see Fig. 4). Each roller is supported by a spindle (top spindle
and bottom spindle). Pneumatic controlled load applied to the roller fixed to the top spindle
that transmits the load to the interface. This applied load is measured by a strain gauge type
load cell. Friction torque is generated during the motion of the rollers in contact. This friction
torque is acquired by a torque sensor. Linear displacement of the rollers due to wear is
measured using a linear variable differential transducer (LVDT) fixed to the stationary block
on the top spindle assembly. Roller fixed to the bottom spindle is partially dipped into the oil
cup that carry the lubricants during rotation and lubricate the sliding / rolling interface.
Temperature in the oil cup is managed using the resistive heaters and thermocouples. In the
case of dry run the entire test area is heated by a furnace (see Fig. 5).

Figure 4. Cut section view of Ducom Roller on Roller Tribometer for high loads up to 8000 kN

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 Figure 5. Cut section view of Ducom Roller on Roller Tribometer with furnace heating

Optionals
• Heating module (700 °C)
• High load units (5000 N, 8000 N)
• Variable contact conditions
• Lubricant cup (RT or 120 °C)

User Convenience
• Modular system: Ducom Roller on Roller Tribometer can be upgraded with any of the
optionals (as mentioned above) and at any time after the purchase.
• High throughput research: Ducom Roller on Roller Tribometer is a multifunctional system.
Capability to change the test configuration from line contact to area or point contact adds
value to the research. Along with the ease of operation, it helps to achieve high
throughput research.
• Low maintenance cost: Ducom instruments with high value design features and quality
of the components ensures low maintenance cost for the users. For example, the life of
spindle assembly in roller on roller tribometer can last longer than any of our competitors.
In addition, any online customer support is at free of cost.

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 Instrument control and Data acquisition
WinDucom 2010 is a proprietary integrated machine control, data acquisition and post
processing software with four modules.
1. Machine control: The Roller on Roller Tribometer uses the WinDucom software on a
Windows operating system. The PC controls the test sequence on the machine based
on the prameters entered by the user. Sample related information can be fed into the
software at the start of the test for documentation and reporting purposes.
2. Data Acquisition System: WinDucom acquires rotational speed, wear, temperature
and number of revolutions. Friction force, sliding speed, slide to roll ratio, sliding
distance and test duration is also displayed. The Data Acquisition System allows the
flexibility to present the data in several ways. Graphs of individual test can be printed
and results of up to four tests can be superimposed for comparative viewing using the
CompariView module (see Fig. 6). Data can be exported to other software like MS-
Excel in ASCII format.
3. Post processing: Acquired data can be presented as view test results of any test runor
view parameters of up to 4 different tests together for comparison. Export acquired
data in ASCII to other softwareto excel.

Figure 6. Comparative view of friction force for two different samples.

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 Standard scope of supply
The table covers the spare parts that is already included in the instrument. You have to place
an order for additional units and optionals.

# Description Quantity
1 Test instrument 1
2 Electronic controller 1
3 Heated lubricant sump (ambient to 120 °C) 1
4 Power and DAQ cables 1 set
5 Computer with pre-installed data acquisition and analysis 1
software. Including one WinDucom software CD
6 Calibration and tool kit 1
7 Customized rollers (1 crowed and 1 flat) 5 pair
8 Standard Specimen ring 5
9 Standard Test block 6.35 mm x 6.35 mm x 6.35 mm 5
10 Operating and maintenance manual 2 sets

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 Picture Gallery

Load cell

Linear wear sensor

Ducom Roller on Roller Tribometer with high load option

Two test rollers during lubricated test Ducom Roller on Roller Tribometer with
high load option

Ducom Roller on Roller Tribometer with furnace heating

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 Ducom Testing Services
Ducom is a preferred partner for
tribological tests for several fortunes
500 companies including small
industries and research labs. Our
facilities include a variety of
tribometers, mechanical testers and
lubricant testers at three locations:
Bangalore (India), (USA) and
Netherlands. Contract testing on
custom development testers are
also offered. Ducom also offers the
facility to video-witness tests—saving on costs involved with physically witnessing critical
tests.

Ducom Test Facility has been in service since 1999, providing tribological testing facilities to
academics and industries. Ducom ensures that customers get great value by offering these
services on advanced tribometers that are regularly calibrated and checked for repeatability
of their results. The test facility is run by experienced staff with more than five decades of
cumulative testing experience in the field of tribological testing alone. Advantages of choosing
Ducom Test Facility as your testing service provider:

• No capital investment on a tester

• No additional man-power requirement

• No maintenance and AMC costs

• No training requirement

• Excellent security - limited access facility and strongly enforced non-disclosure

agreement

• Excellent reporting - test reported in accordance with applicable test standards

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Issued on March, 2015│Approved on March, 2015│