Informe Jost

Lubrication
Fundamentals

What’s
Tribology?
The origins of tribology can be traced
back to the days of the early pioneers of
lubrication engineers and scientists.
Editor’s Note: All
articlesin this special
section were written by
Bob Gresham.

LF-4

W

hat is this word, tribology? At
first glance, some people would
probably say, “Well, it was a
term coined years ago by therenowned Dr.
H. Peter Jost, founder and president of the
prestigious International Tribology Council.
”
Jost is widely known around the world for
his support and many contributions to thedevelopment of tribology.
Tribology is derived from the Greek word
tribos (TREE-bos), which means to rub. Thus,
tribology is the study of rubbing or interacting surfaces. It sounds a little like someintellectual aesthete, repeating his snobbish
mantra. Have you ever tried to explain the
meaning of tribology while stuck on a ski lift
or cornered at a cocktail party to someone
who has absolutely noconcept of lubricants,
wear, friction or anything remotely related?
This is not trivial.
T R I B O LO G Y & LU B R I C AT I O N T E C H N O LO G Y

In ancient times we learned that rubbingcertain materials like animal fat on the
wheels of our chariots made them run more
easily. Further, the wheels and axles did not
get hot and wear out as fast. Later, as the
industrial revolution beganto take hold, we
found that machines needed constant maintenance and more and more animal fat to
keep them running. Plus, this animal fat didn’t always smell well when it got hot. As a
result, thepractice of lubrication engineering
was born.
These early engineers usually solved their
problems with empirical solutions born of
hard-earned experience and precious little
theory. Over time, asthe economic incentives grew, these early engineers and scientists of the time teamed together to study
friction, wear and lubrication problems.
They learned many things such as the fact

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