List of our services

The institute as an innovative service provider

The Tribology Competence Center offers you as a client independent consulting for tribological issues. In concrete terms, this means that
solution or optimization can be achieved by

  • design measures, 
  • improved lubrication or lubricants,
  • more suitable materials or coatings, or
  • targeted surface modification. 

Basis of all consultations is the comprehensive tribological system analysis. Based on this, possible solutions will be researched, which will then be are typically evaluated and assessed in application-oriented mechanical-dynamic tests on the institute’s own tribometers.

With currently 19 employees and over 50 different tribological test rigs as well as the associated measurement technology and analytics, the Tribology Competence Center is one of the leading institutes in this field.

Examples from our service portfolio.

  • Determination of the performance of lubricants and additives (standard tests and special tests) on a wide range of tribometers
  • Friction and wear behavior of material pairings, bonded coatings and coatings
  • Development and construction of tribological test benches according to customer requirements
  • Development of special practical test methods
  • Consulting and finding solutions for tribological problems
  • Investigation of damage cases from practice

These services also enable small and medium-sized companies that do not have their own specialists to use a contact point for tribological issues.

In addition, the Tribology Competence Center also works with experts from renowned companies or industry market leaders to support them with special tasks or problems.

Research and consulting


Research or consulting orders can – regardless of the scope of the work – be handled quickly and cost-effectively via Tribologie Engineering Mannheim GmbH or the Steinbeis Transfer Center .

Contract research work is, of course, subject to confidentiality. Results will not be published or passed on without the client’s consent!