2025 (Current Year) Faculty Courses School of Engineering Undergraduate major in Mechanical Engineering
Fundamentals of Tribology
- Academic unit or major
- Undergraduate major in Mechanical Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Shinji Tanaka / Satoshi Momozono
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - Class
- -
- Course Code
- MEC.J333
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2025
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 19, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course focuses on basic concepts in tribology. The term 'tribology' is defined as : the science and technology of interacting surfaces in relative motion and of the practices related thereto [OECD. 1969]. By combining lectures and exercises, the course enables students to understand and acquire the fundamentals of tribology which are important for developments of real applications in mechanical engineering.
The aim of this lecture is to provide a broad based introduction to the interdisciplinary scientific discpline of tribology in engineering fields, including state of art in the information and practical solutions of problems.
Course description and aims
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1) Understand basic aspects of friction.
2) Understand basic aspects of surface roughness and contact mechnics.
3) Understand basic aspects of boundary lubrication.
4) Understand basic aspects of wear and surface treatment.
5) Understand and derive governing equations of hydrodynamic lubrication.
This course corresponds to the acquisition of the following learning objectives.
6. Developmental and specialized knowledge in mechanical engineering.
7. The ability to utilize specialized knowledge to solve new problems and make creative proposals.
Keywords
Tribology, Friction, Wear, Fluid lubrication, Boundary lubrication
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
The course is taught in lecture style. Exercise problems will be assigned in classes. Required learning should be completed outside of the classroom for preparation and review purposes.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Tribology and friction mechanics | Understand the fundamental of tribology and friction mechanics. |
| Class 2 | Surface and contact | Be able to explain the relationship between surface roughness, contact, Hertzian deformation, true contact area and Amonton's law. |
| Class 3 | Boundary lubrication and solid lubrication | Be able to explain boundary lubrication and solid lubrication. |
| Class 4 | Wear and surface modification | Be able to explain wear and surface modification. |
| Class 5 | Lubricants and hydrodynamic lubrication | Be able to explain the viscosity of lubricants and the theory of hydrodynamic lubrication of sliding bearings. |
| Class 6 | Elastohydrodynamic lubrication | Be able to explain the theory of elastohydrodynamic lubrication. |
| Class 7 | Mixed lubrication | Be able to explain mixed lubrication theory. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
MURAKI,M., Yokuwakaru Tribology, Tokyo Denki University Press, (Japanese).
Reference books, course materials, etc.
YAMAMOTO, Y. and KANETA, M., Tribology, Rikogakusha. (Japanese)
HASHIMOTO, H., Kisokara manabu Tribology, Morikita Publishing. (Japanese)
SASAKI, S., Hajimete no Tribology, Kodansha. (Japanese)
Japan Tribology Society, Tribology Handbook, Yokendo. (Japanese)
JSME Mechanical Engineer's Handbook β4 Machine elements and Tribology, The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers. (Japanese)
Evaluation methods and criteria
Students' knowledge on Triboloby, and application skill to basic problem will be evaluated.
Evaluation is carried out by one of the followings.
(1) Based on the final exam (80%) and in-class assignment/homework (20%).
(2) Based on the results of in-class and end-of-term assignments.
Related courses
- MEC.F211 ： Practical Fluid Mechanics
- MEC.C201 ： Mechanics of Materials
- MEC.H201 ： Machine Elements and Machine Drawing
- MEC.J311 ： Fundamentals of Precision Machinery
- MEC.J432 ： Mechanism and Control for Ultra-precision Motion
- MEC.J331 ： Fundamentals of Micro and Nano Machining
- MEC.J531 ： Micro and Nano Systems
Prerequisites
No specific requirements