Perfecting Motion®
Perfecting Motion® is the official STLE podcast series, hosted by STLE, that features conversations with leading industry professionals sharing their insights about current issues and trends impacting the global tribology and lubricants community.
Episodes
Rolling bearings rarely fail—only about 0.35% do—but when they do, lubrication is almost always the culprit. In this episode of Perfecting Motion, Bernhard Dreisser and Daniel Merk of Schaeffler explain why grease deserves to be treated as a fifth design element, not just a consumable. They unpack the concept of "Lifetime Solutions," tracing how First Fill decisions ripple across a bearing's entire servi...
In this episode of Perfecting Motion®, we sit down with a lubricant formulation and tribology expert whose work spans the full value chain — from base oil and additive chemistry to tribometer design, customer training, and future mobility applications.
The conversation opens with what makes lubricant formulation genuinely difficult: not the chemistry in isolation, but the constant trade-offs between compe...
In this episode of Perfecting Motion®, Debottam Bose — a bearing and lubrication application engineer at Vestas with experience spanning steel plants, heavy industrial machinery, and offshore wind turbine drivetrains — shares what decades of failure investigation and field engineering teach you about reliability at scale.
The conversation moves through the fundamentals of large bearing application enginee...
Abstract:
Guest: Kuldeep Mistry is Senior Research Scientist at Chevron Oronite and STLE Board Member. He is a tribologist and strategist dedicated to "perfecting motion" across machines and organizations alike. With nearly two decades of R&D experience—spanning Argonne National Lab, Timken, and the University of Leeds—they currently lead the revitalization of tribology testing to accelerate lub...
In this episode of Perfecting Motion, our host, Marc Ingram, dives into the "hidden science" of tribology with Jennifer Vail, author of Friction – A Biography, to uncover how this often-overlooked force shapes the modern world. The conversation journeys from the fundamental physics that allow us to walk and drive to the historical milestones where engineering hurdles sparked scientific breakthroughs. We explor...
This podcast episode dives deep into the persistent and often misunderstood issue of micropitting in gears, guided by expert insights from Ben Wainwright. The conversation begins by defining micropitting and examining how it manifests in real-world applications, asking whether it remains a practical concern in modern gear systems and what fundamental factors—such as lambda ratio, surface roughness, and contact...
This month's podcast episode explores the precision-driven world of tribology through the lens of national laboratory measurement science, moving beyond basic product development to address the fundamental challenges of friction, wear, and lubrication. Our guest discusses the unique operational environment of a national lab and provides a deep dive into the technical rigors of creating robust, high-tech measurements...
This month we talk about understanding and optimizing tribological performance is vital for improving fuel efficiency, extending component lifespan, and reducing emissions in modern vehicles. Dr. Nolan Chu from Auburn University and Dr. Arup Gangopadhyay from Ford Motor Company will share insights into the complex computational models being developed to predict and mitigate wear in critical areas such as engines, tr...
This podcast episode explores the fascinating world of tribology as it applies to everyday fasteners. Tribology, the science of friction, wear, and lubrication, is the unsung hero behind the function of countless devices we use to hold things together or secure them. From the thousands of tiny hooks and loops that make up Velcro to the teeth and locking mechanism of a zip tie, and the knots in shoelaces or the mecha...
The History of Tribology in History Part II - From Byzantine Ingenuity to Da Vinci's Genius
Welcome back to the second installment of our series on the history of tribology. In this episode, we're delving into the fascinating period from the Byzantine Empire through the Renaissance. We'll explore how Byzantine engineers applied advanced knowledge of friction, lubrication, and wear to create remarkably durable m...
This month we're diving into the often-overlooked history of friction, lubrication, and wear. From the practical ingenuity of ancient civilizations to the groundbreaking discoveries of the Industrial Revolution, we'll explore how humanity has continuously grappled with the challenges of rubbing things together. Join us as we uncover how the Egyptians moved massive stones using sledges and lubricated sand, how Leonar...
Join us for the second session of our hit friction podcast, where we delve into the intricate world of friction at the surface, exploring suggested mechanisms like the foundational adhesion theory by Bowden and Tabor and its historical roots at the Cambridge Cavendish Laboratory, while also discovering how our hosts, Vern and Marc, began their journeys in tribology. This episode tackles boundary friction and techniq...
This is the first episode in a two-part series exploring the fundamental principles of friction, tailored for lubrication engineers and tribologists. In "Friction Unveiled," we delve into the essential question: What is friction and why is its understanding so critical in our field? We will differentiate between static and dynamic friction, illustrating their distinct behaviors and implications. The episode will hig...
In this episode of Perfecting Motion, we spotlight a true Titan of Tribology—Gary Wood, the northeast district sales manager at HF Sinclair and longtime CLS-certified member since 1986. Hosted by STLE President Kevin Delaney of Vanderbilt Chemicals, LLC, this conversation dives deep into Gary’s distinguished career, leadership within the CLS committee, and decades of contributions to the field of tribolo...
This month's episode focuses on using friction to help us. Yes, that's right, embracing the friction that tribologists try to combat. The focus is of tactile aids that solely rely on physical bumps, lines, and textures are limited in the amount and density of information they can convey due to "tactile clutter" within a small physical space. The lab has found that different surface chemistries alone can ...
This month we feature two of our poster competition winners from the 2024 STLE Annual Meeting. With us we have Joseph Shore who presented on "Predicting Electric Vehicle Transmission Efficiency Using a Thermally Coupled Lubrication Tool", and Ujjawal Arya with his research on "A Novel Multiphase CFD Model for Investigating the Flow Dynamics of Aerated Bubbles in Bearing Lubrication." Join us as we talk ...
In this month's episode I sit down with Anurag Warhadpande from Bridgestone Americas. This podcast explores the critical role of tribology in tire performance, highlighting how factors like traction, wear, and noise are influenced by the tire-road interaction. Anurag discusses the science behind tire friction, including the mu-slip curve and road texture effects, as well as how wear mechanisms align wit...
In this month’s episode we sit down with Melissa Mushrush of MOLYKOTE Specialty Lubricants and Kathy Helmetag of Henkel North American Operations. Together, they explore the fascinating role of tribology in footwear. From icy sidewalks to slick dance floors, we uncover how tread design, materials, and surface conditions influence friction between our shoes and the ground. Learn why snow boots grip where high h...
In this month's episode we sit down with Dr. Hannes Grillenberger, Product Manager at Schaeffler, as we talk about the tribology of climbing. Dr. Grillenberger, an experienced climber, reviews how he uses his understanding of tribology to help him choose equipment, techniques, and routes when climbing. Climbing, a physically and mentally demanding sport, involves ascending natural rock formations or ar...
This month we look back at our Annual Meeting from May of 2024 in Minneapolis. I took the time to interview some of our attendees on their attendance at the meeting and what about the meeting was important to them.
Each May STLE offers their annual meeting to gather industry professionals to network, learn, and grow together for several days. This year we will convene in Atlanta at the Hy...
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