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
