Documentation, examinations, and measurements are carried out in the laboratory area to accompany the tests. All test parts are measured before, during, and after the test. The core of the examinations of gears is the control of the shape and position of the gear geometry, measured with the gear measuring center. Surface profiles and structures are recorded with roughness measuring equipment in 2D and 3D measurements. High-precision scales allow the exact determination of the test part weight and thus the tracking of mass loss, e.g., in wear tests. The test progress and the entire components and test stands are documented with digital cameras and recorded in a central image database.
The methods of metallography (microsection production, microstructure characterization) and scanning electron microscopy (fracture surface analysis) are used in the materials laboratory. Physical measurements, such as hardness and hardness progression tests, measurements with X-ray diffractometers (residual stresses, retained austenite content), and energy dispersive X-ray analysis on the SEM (determination of the composition of inclusions or deposits), are used to obtain further data. With the spark spectrometer (optical emission spectrometry), material compositions can be checked.
In the lubricant laboratory, lubricants' viscosity, water content, and neutralization number (aging) are determined, and the chemical composition of base oils and additives is characterized in the infrared spectrometer.
| Measuring Laboratory |
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| Materials Laboratory |
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| Lubricant Laboratory |
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| Further Equipment |
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