Tribometer for vacuum friction test: Development and verification test

The results of designing the tribometer intended for conducting tribological investigations in vacuum are presented in this paper. The tribometer design consists of actuating mechanism, a platform with specimen holder, positioning and loading devices, and friction force measuring device. The process of designing included 3D modeling and building the machine. The third stage was dedicated to testing the tribometer workability in a vacuum chamber at residual pressure 9 × 10−3 Pa and in air. The testing results allow us to conclude that the tribometer design is workable and functional as well as provided obtaining reasonable and reproducible results which lie in line with the results of other researchers.