A new design for the pin and V-blocks tribometer

A compact and vacuum compatible design for the generally used pin and V-blocks tribometer is presented. The device has two built-in transducers for measurement of the applied load and friction torque, from which the coefficient of friction is determined. The design, construction and calibration of the transducers are described in detail. The use of the test rig is illustrated by tribotests in air and in high vacuum environments for the study of the tribological behaviour of a bonded solid lubricant film on various substrate materials.