The design of a microtribometer to measure sliding friction under rapid acceleration

This paper presents the conceptual design of a microtribometer in a ball-on-flat contact configuration. The proposed setup is based on a precision-engineered loading mechanism designed to apply both normal and tangential forces with minimal inertia effects and parasitic motion. A dynamic analysis is carried out to understand how the system behaves during operation. Potential sources of measurement error and manufacturability constraints are then discussed to optimize the performance of the setup. Potential improvements and shortcomings are discussed for the current design, leading to a conclusion. Based on these insights, a novel measurement mechanism will be developed and evaluated for its effectiveness in capturing frictional behaviour under dynamic conditions with high accuracy.