In the session she covered, she spoke on brake pads, bearings, piston rings, valve seats, and gearbox components all experiencing sliding contact during the entire operation. The Pin-on-Disc Tribometer at MNRDC (Novus Tribo Solutions, Bengaluru, 118+ specimens tested) measures wear rate and coefficient of friction under controlled loads, speeds, and temperatures in compliance with ASTM G99. Dry wear tests simulate worst-case unlubricated conditions. Head here to read more on ISRO SMA Research at MNRDC
Lubricated tests replicate engine oil or coolant environments. Pin heating tests evaluate high-temperature performance. Output includes coefficient of friction vs time graph, wear rate calculation, and sliding distance data. Up to six test results can be compared simultaneously. Head here to read – MNRDC Facilities and Services
What Automotive Engineers Get From This Data
- Brake pad friction stability: does the coefficient of friction remain flat or become erratic under sustained contact?
- Bearing material selection: which alloy or composite shows the lowest wear rate at the operating load?
- Coating durability: does a TiN-coated tool outlast an uncoated tool by a measurable margin?
- Post-wear surface analysis: the worn specimen can be examined on SEM immediately to identify failure mechanisms (abrasion, adhesion, delamination). Head here to read more on Pin-on-Disc Tribometer at MNRDC
Hard Coating Verification (GIXRD + SEM)
TiN, CrN, and DLC coatings on cutting tools, dies, and moulds are verified using GIXRD (Grazing Incidence XRD), which isolates the coating signal from the substrate. SEM images the coating cross-section to measure thickness and check for delamination or porosity. The sputtering system (Auto 500) at MNRDC can even deposit TiN coatings in-house, creating a fabricate-then-verify loop within one facility.
EV Battery Material Characterisation
With Agratas building a 20 GWh battery plant in Sanand and Tata AutoComp manufacturing EV components in the same belt, battery material testing demand is growing. MNRDC’s LCR Meter (1 mHz to 5 MHz, furnace to 1200C) characterises electrode dielectric properties. XRD identifies cathode and anode crystal phases. SEM+EDS maps elemental distribution across electrode surfaces. DSC measures thermal stability, a critical safety parameter for lithium-ion cells. Head here to read more on – Dielectric Testing: LCR Meter at MNRDC
FAQ
Can MNRDC test automotive brake pads and bearing materials?
Indeed, Output includes friction graphs, wear rate, and sliding distance data. Post-wear SEM analysis available at the same facility.
Does MNRDC have aerospace-grade testing capability?
MNRDC has an ISRO-funded project for Shape Memory Alloy characterisation for space applications. The center's SEM, XRD, AFM, and tribometer are used for aerospace material analysis under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Anand Joshi (PhD IIT Roorkee, DST Fast Track Young Scientist awardee).
