MPT-3000

Multi-Function Tribometers

MPT-3000 High Load, High Speed Micro Pitting Rig

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The MPT-3000 is a high-load, high-speed micro pitting tester that generates multi-million-cycle micropitting and rolling contact fatigue data in lubricated rolling-sliding contacts. The triple-disc platform combines closed-loop loads up to 5,000 N, slide-to-roll ratios from pure rolling to pure sliding, lubricant temperatures from cryogenic to 160°C, and electrified testing for modern drivetrains.

KEY FEATURES

Closed-Loop High Load Capability up to 5000N

The MPT-3000 delivers up to 5000 N of closed-loop controlled load, ensuring stable and precise contact forces throughout the test. This enables accurate simulation of severe rolling contact conditions and highly repeatable micro pitting and fatigue experiments for gears, bearings, coatings, and lubricants.

High-Torque Motors for High-Load, High-Speed Testing

MPT-3000 comes with 220 and 308/480V (3 to 10KW motors) motor configurations that allows to test at very high torques, high load and high speed. This allows to do test close to real life scenarios.

Accelerated Fatigue Testing

The MPT-3000 accumulates millions of contact cycles in a short time (1 Million cycles in 5.5 hrs), enabling rapid evaluation of rolling contact fatigue and micropitting behavior. Development time for lubricants, coatings, and materials drops significantly while results stay reliable and repeatable.

Realistic Operating Sliding Rolling Conditions

Independent motor control sets any slide-to-roll ratio from 0% (pure rolling) to 200% (pure sliding), with lubricant temperatures cryo to 160°C. Researchers replicate the true contact conditions of gears, bearings, and rolling elements on one platform.

Electrified Testing

An integrated AC or DC power source applies controlled electrical conditions across the contact. Study the effect of electrification on the test area, or analyze lubricant film thickness directly from electrical data.

More about

Micropitting Testing Data

The data on the left shows the coefficient of friction results from a three-disc rolling contact fatigue setup. Surface treatments were done on one sample. This data illustrates which improvement in RCF life after the thermal spray coating application.
Sample 1 – uncoated
Sample 2 – thermal spray coating

  • 500 N force
  • SRR from 0 to 0.6
  • Temperature 70°C

For researchers, the Micropitting Tester provides consistent data under controlled laboratory conditions.

Traction curve graph showing coefficient of friction COF versus sliding rolling ratio SRR for coated and uncoated surfaces – Rtec Instruments TwinRoller tribometer
Micro-Pitting Tester (3 Rollers) for rolling contact fatigue, micro-pitting, and gear lubricant performance testing.

Damaged Area Percentage (DAP)

The Micro Pitting Tester (3 Rollers), combined with the Rtec-Instruments UP-3000 3D Optical Profiler, enables precise quantification of surface damage through Damaged Area Percentage (DAP) analysis. After testing, the roller or pin surface is scanned in 3D to identify and measure micro-pitting damage.

Using a user-defined depth threshold, the software automatically distinguishes damaged regions from the intact surface. Areas exceeding the threshold depth are displayed in black, while unaffected areas remain white, providing a clear visual representation of surface degradation.

The calculated Damaged Area Percentage (DAP) serves as a quantitative metric for comparing micro-pitting performance under different operating conditions, including varying loads, lubrication regimes, rolling speeds, material combinations, and surface treatments. This objective analysis helps researchers and engineers evaluate wear mechanisms, optimize lubricants, improve material selection, and validate component durability.

Electrified Data

An integrated potentiostat with AC or DC power sources applies controlled electrical conditions across the contact. Study the effect of electrification on the test area, or analyze lubricant film thickness directly from electrical data. The data shows transition from Ohmic to Capacitive Behavior over lubrication regimes. Notably, the performance of the Micropitting Tester under electric potential is critical for obtaining accurate micro-pitting results.

Advanced 3-roller tribology system for micro-pitting, rolling contact fatigue, and gear durability testing.
3-roller rolling contact fatigue tester for micro-pitting analysis of gears, bearings, and lubricants.

Why Our Triple Disc Machine Outperforms Conventional Systems?

Traditional triple-disc testers often provide limited flexibility and control over real operating conditions. Our next-generation Triple Disc Machine is therefore engineered to go further — delivering greater precision, stability, and experimental versatility.

Advanced control of rolling/sliding ratios, contact pressure, speed, and lubrication regimes consequently allows accurate simulation of real applications such as gears, bearings, and rolling elements. As a result, researchers can confidently study rolling contact fatigue (RCF), pitting, and micro-pitting under realistic and repeatable conditions.

Furthermore, high mechanical rigidity, precision drives, and advanced monitoring systems ensure stable contact conditions and highly repeatable results, even during long endurance tests.

With its modular architecture and research-grade instrumentation, the system additionally provides deeper insight into material performance, coating durability, and lubricant behavior. It thus supports both advanced tribology research and industrial development.

Customer Testimonials for 3-Roller Tester

  • “Essential for Wind Turbine Gearbox Testing”
    Tribology Specialist, Renewable Energy Industry“The Triple Disc Machine enables us to replicate the rolling contact conditions present in wind turbine gearboxes and study micro-pitting and fatigue with excellent repeatability. It has become an essential platform for evaluating coatings and lubricants for long-term turbine reliability.
  • “A Game-Changer for Gear Durability Testing”
    Senior Tribology Engineer, Automotive Transmission Manufacturer“The Triple Disc Machine allows us to reproduce real gear contact conditions and study micro-pitting and rolling contact fatigue with excellent repeatability. It has become a key tool for evaluating coatings, materials, and lubricants during gearbox development.”
High-precision micro-pitting tester for analyzing gear surfaces, coatings, lubricants, and rolling contact fatigue.
Load Range2,000N / 5,000N (High load model)
TorqueUp to 60 Nm (with 480 V)
Slide-Roll Ratio (SRR)0% (pure rolling) to 200％ (pure sliding)
Entrainment speedup to 5.0 m/s (depends on center pin size).
Temperature rangecryo to 160°C
Motor Power3 to 10kW motors

Frequently Asked Questions

Micropitting is a surface fatigue damage mechanism in lubricated rolling-sliding contacts such as gears and bearings. Networks of microscopic cracks and pits form on the surface, leading to reduced efficiency, increased noise, and premature component failure. The MPT-3000 reproduces and quantifies this damage under controlled laboratory conditions.
A micro pitting tester is a tribology instrument that reproduces rolling contact fatigue and micropitting under controlled load, speed, slide-to-roll ratio, temperature, and lubrication. The MPT-3000 uses a triple-disc configuration to replicate the contact conditions of gears, bearings, and rolling elements.
Rolling contact fatigue is progressive damage caused by repeated cyclic stresses in rolling contacts. It leads to pitting, micropitting, and eventual surface failure in gears and bearings. The MPT-3000 studies RCF by accumulating millions of contact cycles under realistic, repeatable conditions.
The triple-disc arrangement provides highly controlled contact conditions and excellent repeatability, and accumulates contact cycles rapidly. This makes it well suited to accelerated micropitting and rolling contact fatigue studies of materials, coatings, and lubricants.
The MPT-3000 applies closed-loop controlled loads up to 5,000 N with the high-load model, torque up to 60 Nm, and entrainment speeds up to 4 m/s, with slide-to-roll ratios from pure rolling to pure sliding.
Yes. An integrated potentiostat with AC or DC power sources applies controlled electrical conditions across the contact during testing. This supports electrified drivetrain studies and lubricant film thickness analysis from electrical data.
Gear and bearing manufacturers, lubricant and additive formulators, and research labs in automotive, wind energy, and aerospace use the MPT-3000 to evaluate coatings, materials, and lubricants for transmissions, gearboxes, and rolling-element bearings.
It runs millions of contact cycles in a short time under stable, closed-loop conditions. Rapid, repeatable fatigue and micropitting results let engineers compare candidate lubricants, coatings, and materials in days rather than months.
Typically center pin is 12mm and ourter roller are 54.29mm diamater.

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