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Lead Instructor(s)
Participating Instructor(s)
Date(s)
Jun 09 - 11, 2025
Location
On Campus
Course Length
3 Days
Course Fee
$3,600
CEUs
2.7 CEUs
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The three-day course explores the fundamentals and latest innovations in the study of friction, wear, lubrication, and design of tribological systems. Participants will acquire the skills needed to improve the reliability and durability of tribological systems. Learners will dive deep into fundamentals, trends, strategies, and modern methodologies needed to  design the next generation tribological systems.

This course may be taken individually or as part of the Professional Certificate Program in Design & Manufacturing.

Course Overview


The study of friction, wear, and lubrication is of enormous practical importance. The functioning of many mechanical, electromechanical, and biological systems depends on appropriate friction management. Yet, about one-fifth of the energy used in industrial systems is wasted away  due to friction.

From a business viewpoint, improved tribological knowledge offers immense potential savings.  However, many engineers do not have  sufficient background in tribology. Moreover, most reference works of tribology provide little guidance for solving real-world problems.

This course presents current insights into tribology, focusing on concepts like elastic and elastoplastic deformation, micro-fracture, and surface interactions at the micro- and nano-scale. Special consideration will be given to the application of fundamental knowledge to control friction and wear behavior through lubrication and the selection of materials and coatings in practical situations. The course will also cover experimental methods, examine several tribological problems,  and  illustrate how engineers can apply fundamentals in the design of tribological components and systems.

Certificate of Completion from MIT Professional Education

Tribology Cert Iamge
Program Outline

Day One

  1. Welcoming Remarks and Course Overview
  2. The Importance of Tribology
  3. Surface Topography and Surface Properties
  4. Sliding Friction: Laws and Theories
  5. Tribological Testing I: Instrumentation
  6. Tribological Testing II: Demonstrations

Day Two

  1. Surface Temperature
  2. Sliding Wear
  3. Abrasive and Erosive Wear
  4. Wear of Ceramics and Brittle Materials
  5. Wear of Polymers
  6. Wear of Coatings

Day Three

  1. Liquid and Solid Lubricants
  2. Boundary and Thin Film Lubrication
  3. Fluid Film Lubrication
  4. EHD Lubrication: Gears and Rolling Element Bearings
  5. Tribology by Design
  6. Axiomatic Design
Course Instructors
Other Instructors

Links & Resources

Introducing Friction, Wear, and Lubrication in the Revolutionary Tribology, AZo Materials, July 2022
Tribology by Design: A Revolution in Tribology, Machine Design, May 2022

What maintenance professionals should know about tribology, MRO Magazine, March 2017

Who Should Attend

Who Should Attend

The course is intended for professionals who are active (or intend to be active) in research, development, and design of tribological systems. Participants who have encountered challenges with friction, wear, lubrication, or the design of mechanical systems will benefit from this course. They will leave with novel methods of solving those issues. Participants are required to have at least a bachelor's degree in engineering or physical sciences, including basic courses in mathematics, physics, chemistry, applied mechanics, and materials science. Industrial experience is preferred.

Requirements

Laptops or tablets are not required for this course, but are strongly recommended. Each participant will receive digital and hard copies of the course lectures.

Testimonials

“A good practical overview of tribology. I didn't expect it to be as practical / real-world / valuable as it was. I expected it to be "in-the-clouds" mysterious as other triobologists I have come across have acted. I like the courage of the presenters defining what is known, what is estimated, and what is unknown. It has improved my view of tribology's legitimacy.”
COMPRESSOR ENGINEER, THERMOKING CORPORATION
“I learned a lot and realized that there is a lot more to learn and study about tribology. I came back with a lot of ideas for the company and my testing design.”
CHEMICAL INSTRUMENTALIST, INTERLUB S.A.,MEXICO
“An excellent overview of Tribology. A chance to ask questions and get answers on specific topics of interest. The ability to converse with industry professionals regarding very specific areas of knowledge.”
LEAD TECHNOLOGIST, TRIBOLOGY, DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL DEFENSE, CANADA
"Very effective. I came to the class with a problem I needed to start on without knowing where to begin. By day two of the class, I had a feasible idea and by day four I believe I have a solution to the problem. Now, I just need to prove my theory. My management will understand that this class was very valuable."
LUBRICATION ENGINEER, EATON CORPORATION
"Excellent program. Exceptional opportunity to learn from word-wide known tribologists."
SR. COATING SPECIALIST, ROLLS-ROYCE
"Not only learned theories of tribology, but also the way of solving engineering problems. The instructors delivered very nice and well prepared talks. I would recommend this class to any of my colleagues in the tribological area."
ENGINEERING SPECIALIST, CATERPILLAR INC.
"As a metallurgist, the chosen subject matter was applicable. I will be directly applying what I learned and use the handouts and textbooks as references for years to come."
SENIOR ENGINEER, SASOL SYNFUELS
"This type of information and presentation is simply not available in the working world."
STAFF ENGINEER, GOODRICH AEROSTRUCTURES
"The experience was extremely positive, mostly because Drs. Saka and Suh are very good instructors. They know how to extract the essence, how to structure, and how to make sense of the multitude of information from a complex field."
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO
"Useful in understanding widely varying results obtained in practical wear applications and ways to avoid them."
ENGINEER, SATCON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
"The top quality of the professors and lectures, the material, social events, overall organization and logistics were just outstanding!"
GENERAL MANAGER-DIRECTOR, CUMMINS, ARGENTINA
"The course was very good and well worth the cost and time to attend. The content was extensive and informative. The lecturers were impressive and highly knowledgeable in their fields. The social events (dinner and lunch) were superb and provided for wonderful personal and technical exchanges with the attendees and lecturers."
TECHNICAL CONSULTANT, AREVA NP
Brochure
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Tribology: Friction, Wear, and Lubrication - Brochure Image
Content

The type of content you will learn in this course, whether it's a foundational understanding of the subject, the hottest trends and developments in the field, or suggested practical applications for industry.

Fundamentals: Core concepts, understandings, and tools - 30%|Latest Developments: Recent advances and future trends - 30%|Industry Applications: Linking theory and real-world - 40%
30|30|40
Delivery Methods

How the course is taught, from traditional classroom lectures and riveting discussions to group projects to engaging and interactive simulations and exercises with your peers.

Lectures: Delivery of material in a lecture format - 70%|Discussion or Groupwork: Participatory learning - 15%|Labs: Demonstrations, experiments, simulations - 15%
70|15|15
Levels

The level of expertise and familiarity with the material in this course assumes you have:

Introductory: Appropriate for a general audience - 20%|Specialized: Assumes experience in practice area or field - 30%|Advanced: In-depth explorations at the graduate level - 50%
20|30|50