A New Approach to Mixed/Boundary Friction Prediction Using the Logistics Curve
Abstract There is a strong focus on improving the energy efficiency of machines. Over the last 20-30 years, one way to improve energy efficiency has been to reduce lubricant viscosity. This also has the effect of leading to thinner oil films between the machine’s moving surfaces and is likely to lead to increased mixed/boundary friction. Accurately predicting friction in the mixed/boundary friction regime is therefore becoming of great importance. The work reported here suggests that commonly used asperity friction models significantly underestimate friction in the mixed/boundary friction, and a new model, based on a logistic curve fit, gives a better estimate of mixed/boundary friction, provides good agreement with experimental friction data (from Mini Traction Machine experiments), and is much more straightforward for engineers and tribologists to apply for the estimation of mixed/boundary friction losses.