Multi-Function Tribometers

UTT-3000 Universal Traction Tester from mN to 3000 N load

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The Universal Traction Machine (UTT) is the next generation of traction and rolling-sliding tribology testing.
Designed for advanced lubricant, material, and electrified powertrain research, it accurately measures traction coefficients, friction behavior, and Stribeck curves under precisely controlled contact conditions. Unlike conventional systems, the UTT covers an unmatched operating range—from mN to 3’000 N, −6 to 6 m/s, and cryogenic temperatures to 180°C—on a single platform. Patented high-precision force sensors, electrified contact capability, and exceptional environmental control provide researchers with the flexibility to reproduce real-world operating conditions and accelerate the development of high-performance lubricants, bearings, gears, and EV driveline technologies.

KEY FEATURES

Wide Load Capability mN to 3'000 N (nano, micro, macro)

Contact pressure determines which lubrication regime a fluid experiences. Selectable force sensors span mN to 3,000 N with closed-loop control and high resolution across the entire range. Screen a formulation in delicate low-pressure contacts or heavily loaded gear and bearing conditions — one platform, no instrument changes, no re-correlating data between machines

High-Speed Testing from −6 to 6 m/s with Stable-Torque Servo Drives

Two independently controlled closed-loop high-power servo drives rotate the ball and disc synchronously or asynchronously. This delivers a wide -6 to 6 m/s precise sliding-to-rolling ratio (SRR) range, so any application-specific traction test — pure rolling, pure sliding, or anything between — runs on one instrument.

Electrified Traction Testing for EV Lubricants

The UTT performs advanced electrified traction testing with programmable AC, DC, or custom voltage profiles up to 60 V and 3 A. Evaluate friction, traction, electrical contact resistance, and impedance under real operating conditions, enabling the development of lubricants and components for next-generation EV drivetrains and electrified systems.

Automated Traction Coefficient, Stribeck Curve, and Film Thickness

The UTT accurately measures traction coefficient versus slide-roll ratio (SRR), generates complete Stribeck curves across wide speed and load ranges, and evaluates lubricant film thickness. Automated test sequences provide comprehensive, repeatable data for lubricant rheology, friction behavior, additive performance, and component optimization in a single platform.

Easy to Use, Compact

The UTT-3000 is easy to use — a new user is typically running tests in under 30 minutes. Recipe-driven profiles with separate expert and operator modes make it equally suited to research and quality control. The compact footprint saves lab space while still delivering the loads, speeds, and temperatures of real operating scenarios

More about

Why Slide-to-Roll Ratio Testing Matters

Real mechanical contacts rarely operate under pure rolling. Gears, bearings, cams, and rolling elements experience a combination of rolling and sliding, making Slide-to-Roll Ratio (SRR) a critical parameter in traction, lubrication, and wear. The UTT uses two independent servo drives to precisely control any SRR—from pure rolling to pure sliding—allowing accurate mapping of traction coefficients and Stribeck behavior under real operating conditions. Combined with precise load, speed, and temperature control, the UTT reproduces real-life contact conditions, providing the data needed to optimize lubricants, coatings, and mechanical components with confidence.

Micro Pitting Tester

Traction curve graph showing coefficient of friction COF versus sliding rolling ratio SRR for coated and uncoated surfaces – Rtec Instruments TwinRoller tribometer
Mini Traction Machine for measuring traction, friction, and lubricant performance under rolling-sliding contact.

Electrify Your Traction Testing

The UTT-3000 enables advanced tribological testing under AC, DC, or programmable voltage conditions, accurately simulating the electrical environments found in EVs and electrified powertrains. Evaluate lubricants, greases, and thermal fluids while measuring traction, friction, electrical contact resistance, and impedance to optimize efficiency, durability, and component reliability under real operating conditions.

Environmental Chambers – Cryogenic to 180°C

The UTT-3000 combines advanced temperature control with rolling-sliding tribology to reproduce real-world operating conditions. Test from cryogenic temperatures to 180°C, enabling comprehensive characterization of lubricant performance, traction behavior, and friction across the full range of automotive, aerospace, and industrial applications.

Load Range0 to 3'000 N
Slide-Roll Ratio (SRR)- 10'000 to + 10'000%
Speed-6 to 6 m/s
Temperature rangeCryogenic to 180°C

Frequently Asked Questions

A traction tester measures the friction (traction) force transmitted through a lubricated rolling-sliding contact, typically between a ball and a disc driven at controlled speeds. By varying the slide-to-roll ratio, load, and temperature, it characterizes lubricant behavior across boundary, mixed, and elastohydrodynamic lubrication regimes. The UTT-3000 is a universal traction tester covering loads to 3,000 N, cryogenic to 180°C, and electrified contacts on one platform.
A mini traction machine, or MTM, is a compact ball-on-disc instrument for measuring the frictional properties of lubricants under mixed rolling and sliding. The UTT-3000 performs MTM-type traction and Stribeck tests and extends them with higher loads, wider temperatures, and electrified contact testing — capabilities that traditionally require separate instruments.
Lubricant formulators, additive suppliers, OEM tribology labs, and research groups use the UTT-3000 to develop and validate engine oils, transmission fluids, greases, and EV thermal fluids. Typical work includes traction mapping for driveline efficiency, Stribeck analysis of new formulations, and contact resistance studies for electrified powertrains.
The UTT-3000 measures traction coefficient versus slide-to-roll ratio, Stribeck curves, film thickness, and — on the electrified model — contact resistance and impedance. All data is recorded in real time under programmable load, speed, and temperature profiles.
Normal force from mN up to 3,000 N, with selectable load sensors (50, 200, 1000 or 3,000 N max range)
Yes. The electrified model applies AC, DC, or voltage modes across the contact — 0 to 60 V and 0 to 3 A — during traction and Stribeck tests. This supports contact resistance and impedance studies of driveline fluids and greases for electrified systems.
Yes. The traction platform is available as a module for the MFT-5000 universal tribometer, or as the standalone UTT-3000 for dedicated lubricant and traction work.
Two independently controlled closed-loop servo drives rotate the two surfaces synchronously or asynchronously, delivering a wide and precise slide-to-roll ratio for any test condition from pure rolling to pure sliding.

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