Validation of a Two-Parameter Controlled Novel Tribometer for Analysing Durability of Piston Ring-Engine Cylinder Tribo-Pair

The wear of the piston ring-cylinder liner system in gasoline engines is inevitable and significantly impacts fuel economy. Utilizing a custom-built linear reciprocating tribometer, this study assesses the wear resistance of newly developed engine cylinder coatings. The custom device offers a cost-effective means for tribological evaluation, optimizing coating process parameters with precise control over critical operational factors such as normal load and sliding frequency. Unlike conventional commercial tribometers, it ensures a more accurate simulation of the engine cylinder system. However, existing research lacks a comprehensive comparative analysis and procedure to establish precision limits for such modified devices. This study evaluates the custom tribometer's repeatability compared to a commercial wear-testing instrument, confirming its potential as a valuable tool for advanced wear testing on engine cylinder samples. The validation tests, achieved through standardized contact geometries, confirm the precision and reliability of the custom tribometer, highlighting its potential for advanced wear testing on engine cylinder samples. Utilizing 2D stylus profilometry, wear progression rates are examined, with a coefficient of variation for wear volume results ranging from ±0.63% to ±2.52% compared to a commercial device across tests, showcasing its precision and reliability.