Methods and Devices used to Measure Friction

The physical condition at the work-piece/die boundary, in both bulk forming and sheet forming is, arguably, the single most important physical parameter influencing the processing of metals, yet it remains the least understood. Hence the need for basic research into metal-die interface mechanisms. To gain a good understanding of the mechanisms at the interface and to be able to verify the friction and tribology models that exist, friction sensors are needed. Designing sensors to measure friction-stress in metal working has been pursued by many researchers. This paper surveys methods, which have been tried in the past and discusses some of the recent sensor designs, which can now be used to measure Friction in both production situations and for research purposes.