PCS Instruments Ltd. products

The ABS is a microprocessor-controlled Ball-on-Cylinder wear test system which provides a fast, repeatable assessment of the performance of jet fuels that fully conforms to the ASTM D5001 test method for “Measurement of Lubricity of Aviation Turbine Fuels by the Ball-on-Cylinder Lubricity Evaluator”. The ABS comprises a single, compact, bench top mounted unit. The only external services required are compressed air to the specification in ASTM D5001 and 100-230V mains power. The internal de-ionised water reservoir requires refilling after approximately 1,000 tests. An air cleaner/dryer is available which can clean and de-humidify normal laboratory or shop air to meet the requirements of the ASTM standard (less than 0.1 ppm hydrocarbon).

The EHD is a fully automated computer controlled instrument for measuring the film thickness and traction coefficient (friction coefficient) of lubricants in the elastohydrodynamic lubricating regime. The instrument can measure lubricant film thickness down to 1 nm with a precision of +/- 1 nm. The contact pressures and shear rates in this contact are similar to those found in, for example, gears, rolling element bearings and cams. In addition to film thickness measurements, traction coefficients can be measured at any slide/roll ratio from pure rolling up to 200%. The instrument measures the lubricant film thickness properties in the contact formed between a ¾“ (19.05mm) diameter steel ball and a rotating glass disc by optical interferometry. The lubricant film thickness at any point in the image can be accurately calculated by measuring the wavelength of light at that point.

The EHD-HS is a high speed, fully automated, bench-top instrument measuring lubricant film thickness down to 1nm in the EHD lubrication regime. Capable of running at speeds of up to 20 m/s, ideal for high speed applications such as electric vehicle drivetrains. State of the art software and mechanical system that ensures reliability, repeatability and usability. High sensitivity cameras for impressive image quality.

Peak Hertzian contact pressures typically range from 1.8 GPa in gears and cams to 3.5 GPa in rolling bearings and toroidal traction drives.  The PCS-ETM enables tribological phenomena to be studied over the full range of pressures.

The PCS HFRR is the industry leading instrument for analysing diesel fuel lubricity. PCS are the original manufacturers of the HFRR instrument and are the only instrument supplier specified on the following test methods: ISO 12156, ASTM D6079, ASTM D7688. With over 30 years of development experience and continual design, quality, and user experience improvements, we remain at the forefront of the market. This next-generation HFRR comes with a host of refinements, including active environmental control replacing less accurate passive methods and removing the need to use salt solutions for humidity control. This allows for quicker attainment of ambient humidity and temperature targets to even tighter tolerances.

A ball-on-plate reciprocating system for the measurement of friction and wear under fully sealed, pressurised, and controlled conditions. The unique removable chamber design allows users to create and control blends in situ quickly and safely. Unique chamber also allows blends to be tested in conditions ranging from high-pressure all the way to vacuum. Small test volumes help to reduce test sample costs and wastage.

The HSD is a twin-disc tribometer designed to measure friction in non-conformal contacts at surface speeds up to 60 m/s. Surface speeds up to 60 m/s. Independently driven discs to achieve slide roll ratios (SRR`s) between -10000 and +10000 %. Load between 10 and 90 N achieving 1.3 GPa max. Hertz pressure with standard specimens.

The MPR is a computer controlled three-contact disc instrument in which there are three ‘counterface’ rings of equal diameter positioned apart with a smaller diameter roller located in the middle and in contact with all the rings. This arrangement allows the test roller to be subjected to a large number of rolling contact cycles in a short period of time and hence significantly reduces testing time. At a typical entrainment speed of 3.5m/s, the central test roller will experience approximately one million contact cycles per hour.

The MTM2 is a flexible general purpose instrument for measuring the frictional properties of lubricated and unlubricated contacts under a wide range of rolling and sliding conditions. To date, PCS have sold over 400 MTMs worldwide and this number is continuing to rise at a steady pace. One of the main applications is the fully automated traction mapping of lubricants under conditions commonly found in internal combustion engines. Additional features allow the measurement of anti-wear additive film growth on test specimens, investigation of soft contacts, reciprocating friction and wear measurements.

A ball-on-disc instrument for measuring the frictional properties of lubricated and unlubricated contacts under an applied electrical potential, and a wide range of rolling and sliding conditions. The MTM-EC upgrade allows for novel investigations into effects of electric potentials on tribological contacts. User-provided oscilloscopes and power supply units allow for extensive customisation. The MTM software can control the triggering of the MTM-EC, improving repeatability of tests and removing user-induced error.