Perfecting Motion®

Send us Fan Mail 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 be...

Send us Fan Mail 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 tribo...

Send us Fan Mail 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 s...

Send us Fan Mail 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,...

Send us Fan Mail 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 o...

Send us Fan Mail 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 i...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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, lubri...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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 t...

Send us Fan Mail 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 be...

Send us Fan Mail 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 contribution...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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 Be...

Send us Fan Mail 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 a...

Send us Fan Mail 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 wh...

Send us Fan Mail 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 ascendin...

Send us Fan Mail 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 Atla...

Send us Fan Mail For our October episode we are following up with instructors from the Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning education course from our 2024 STLE Annual Meeting in Minneapolis.   Returning from that course is Max Marian of Leibniz Universität Hannover, Nick Garabedian of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, and Omar Zouina of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology moderates as we di...

Send us Fan Mail This month’s episode is dedicated to highlighting the incredible experiences and benefits of being a student member of STLE.  Join us as our host, STLE UK Student Chair, Nicole Rosik interviews STLE student members Andrew Velasquez of Southwest Research Institute, Parker LaMascus a doctoral candidate at the University of Pennsylvania, Alexander MacLaren of PCS Instruments, and Man...

Send us Fan Mail This month’s episode talks about increasingly integrating sustainability into core business strategies, setting clear targets for greenhouse gas reductions, and publicly reporting on their progress. Joining us we have Pang Lin Ong, a longtime member of the STLE CLS committee member, and current Business Growth Manager at Infineum. Pang looks at efforts to develop more sustainable...

Send us Fan Mail This month's episode talks about the often-overlooked world of friction, wear, and lubrication in aerospace.  Discussing the importance of tribology in space travel, we have former NASA Senior Tribology Technologist, and current University of Akron Mechanical Engineering Professor, Dr. Christopher DellaCorte.  Also on our panel, former Air Force Research Laboratory Nanoelectr...

Send us Fan Mail This month’s episode focuses on engine lubricant testing methods.  We consider what drives engine test methods, types of tests, why we do them, and why we worry about them.  The discussion also goes into the differences between diesel and gasoline engines along with the special test fuel used for them.  Hosting this podcast is STLE board member Bill Anderson from Afton Chemical. ...

Send us Fan Mail Join us for our first episode in a series we call Titans of Tribology .   For this installment, and fresh off receiving the Raymond Thibault Award at the 2024 STLE Annual Meeting, we interview STLE member Doug Sackett.   Doug discusses his unlikely journey into the field of tribology, some mentors and their advice from along the way, and how STLE helped shape and guide him to succ...

Send us Fan Mail STLE Membership Director Julie O'Rouke sits down with STLE president Hong Liang, incoming STLE president Jack McKenna, and STLE Treasurer Steffon Bots to talk about the benefits that come with an STLE membership.   The group discusses what it means to be an STLE member, how their membership has advanced their careers, and reflects on the mentors they have met along the way th...