Performance Evaluation of Pin-on-Disc Tribometer for Friction and Wear Measurement in Engineering Materials

This paper presents the design, experimentation, and performance evaluation of a Pin-on-Disc Tribometer developed for analyzing frictional behavior and wear characteristics of engineering materials under dry sliding conditions. The experimental system measures coefficient of friction, wear rate, and surface roughness at varying speeds and loads. The tribometer was designed in compliance with ASTM G99 standards and implemented in a laboratory setup for mechanical testing and material research. The study focuses on tribological performance evaluation of mild steel, aluminum alloy, and brass specimens against a hardened EN-31 steel disc. Tests were conducted under normal loads ranging from 10 N to 40 N and sliding speeds between 200 rpm and 800 rpm. The results demonstrate that aluminum exhibits the lowest wear rate, while mild steel shows higher frictional response due to adhesive wear mechanisms. The paper also discusses instrumentation, data acquisition, and calibration techniques used for reliable measurement. The developed tribometer proved to be a cost-effective and accurate setup for material characterization and academic research in tribology