Dynamic Analysis of the Test Stand: The Key to a Successful Sliding Friction Testing

In a typical tribological research vibration is only considered, when it is judged as excessive, otherwise it is not regarded as the key issue. Still even a small amplitude vibration can disturb the desired input load and sliding velocity in a test. Tribological tests carried out without the analysis of the accompanying vibration are always threatened by vibration related erroneous interpretation of results. It must be emphasised, that a test stand is a dynamic mechanical system in which friction is evoked for experimental reasons and that friction interacts with the entire system just as in real life machine.