Efficient Plant February 2018 - 14

feature | tribology
Near right. Professor Robert
Jackson teaches Collin
Phillips how to use the Bruker
Dektak 150 profilometer to
measure surface roughness.
Middle. Mechanical engineering student Kaylee Wynn
is developing skills in the Design and Manufacturing Lab.
Far right. The Design and
Manufacturing Lab offers
students an opportunity
to learn how to use major
manufacturing equipment,
and also teaches them how
to design equipment for the
facilities of the future.

Samford Hall is an iconic
building on the expansive
Auburn campus. All images
by Michelle Segrest

Tribology
Program

Michelle
Segrest
Contributing
Editor

Fills Skills Gap
A one-of-a-kind program at Auburn Univ. is helping
develop manufacturing engineers with hands-on
experience that translates directly to real-world jobs.

WHETHER IT'S AN AIRPORT runway, a
manufacturing robot, fluid couplings, power
transmission, a tile floor, human-joint replacement, hard-drive technology, or biomedical
equipment, surfaces are in constant contact
with each other in the mechanical world. The
result is friction and wear. In fact, one fourth
of the world's manmade energy is lost to
friction. Tribology is used to maintain, control,
monitor, and positively manipulate friction,

14

| EFFICIENTPLANTMAG.COM

and studying it has the potential to make innovative contributions to industry, society, and
environmental conservation.
"Friction is very complicated," said Robert
L. Jackson, Ph.D., professor and director of the
Auburn Univ. Tribology Program, Auburn, AL
(auburn.edu). "We teach our students to not
oversimplify. Friction changes with elements
like temperature, humidity, and the geometries
of the surfaces. Everything affects it, and it's

difficult to predict. Part of what we teach is to
know where to look. In engineering, we are
teaching specifics, but we are also teaching the
students where to look for solutions and how
to solve problems."
Tribology is the multidisciplinary study of
surface contact, friction, wear, and lubrication.
While most accredited engineering programs
offer an elective on the subject, Auburn is the
only school in the United States that offers a

FEBRUARY 2018



http://www.auburn.edu http://www.EFFICIENTPLANTMAG.COM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Efficient Plant February 2018

Maximize CMMS, EAM Use
Tribology Program Fills Skills Gap
Caring For Bearings In Extreme Environments
Press-Brake Safeguarding Matters
Oil Systems Need To Breathe
SAP: Kicking Bad Habits
Advice For Automated Substations
Good BOMs Boost Maintenance Efficiency
Smarten Up About Rotor Analysis
Heed These Signs of Inefficiency
Implementations
IIoT
Efficiency Insight
Editorial
On The Floor
Solution Focus
Products
Showcase
Efficient Plant February 2018 - Cover1
Efficient Plant February 2018 - Cover2
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 1
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 2
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 3
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 4
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 5
Efficient Plant February 2018 - Editorial
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 7
Efficient Plant February 2018 - Implementations
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 9
Efficient Plant February 2018 - Maximize CMMS, EAM Use
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 11
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 12
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 13
Efficient Plant February 2018 - Tribology Program Fills Skills Gap
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 15
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 16
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 19
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 20
Efficient Plant February 2018 - Caring For Bearings In Extreme Environments
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 22
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 17
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 18
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 19
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 20
Efficient Plant February 2018 - Caring For Bearings In Extreme Environments
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 22
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 23
Efficient Plant February 2018 - Press-Brake Safeguarding Matters
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 25
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 26
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 27
Efficient Plant February 2018 - Oil Systems Need To Breathe
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 29
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 30
Efficient Plant February 2018 - SAP: Kicking Bad Habits
Efficient Plant February 2018 - Advice For Automated Substations
Efficient Plant February 2018 - Good BOMs Boost Maintenance Efficiency
Efficient Plant February 2018 - Smarten Up About Rotor Analysis
Efficient Plant February 2018 - Heed These Signs of Inefficiency
Efficient Plant February 2018 - On The Floor
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 37
Efficient Plant February 2018 - IIoT
Efficient Plant February 2018 - Solution Focus
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 40
Efficient Plant February 2018 - Products
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 42
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 43
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 44
Efficient Plant February 2018 - Showcase
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 46
Efficient Plant February 2018 - 47
Efficient Plant February 2018 - Efficiency Insight
Efficient Plant February 2018 - Cover3
Efficient Plant February 2018 - Cover4
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