---
type: "WebPage"
title: "Endurance testing – Laboratory tribology"
description: "Endurance testing and Tribology: validating the durability of your materials and components What is tribology? Tribology is the science that studies the phenomena of friction, wear and lubrication between two surfaces in relative contact. It involves analysing the damage mechanisms..."
resource: "https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/laboratory-surface-characterization/endurance-testing-tribology/"
tags: ["EN", "pll_684a8e84c1c38", "Thomas GAUTIER"]
timestamp: "2025-12-31T08:32:27Z"
published: "2025-06-12T09:52:48Z"
language: "en"
author: "Laure Durieux"
---

# Endurance testing – Laboratory tribology

## Endurance testing and Tribology: validating the durability of your materials and components

### What is tribology?

**Tribology** is the science that studies the phenomena of **[friction](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/laboratory-surface-characterization/friction-testing-dlc.md)**, **[wear](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/laboratory-surface-characterization/surface-wear-analysis-laboratory.md)** and **lubrication** between two surfaces in relative contact. It involves analysing the damage mechanisms of materials subjected to various stresses. This damage can occur at the very core of the parts (plastic deformation, [rupture](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-expertise-services/laboratory-analysis-failures/laboratory-analysis-ruptures.md), [fatigue](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-expertise-services/mechanical-laboratory-test/endurance-test-fatigue-testing.md)) or at their surface, under the effect of friction, wear, cracking and other tribological phenomena.

Test conditions can be particularly demanding: **high pressures, high speeds, extreme temperatures, controlled humidity, under dynamic or static loads**.
The work covers a wide variety of materials: [metals](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/metallurgical-analysis-laboratory/laboratory-analysis-metals.md), organic or metal matrix [composites](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/laboratory-analysis-composite-material/), [ceramics](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/polymer-materials-analysis-laboratory/laboratory-material-testing/laboratory-ceramic-testing/), [polymers](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/polymer-materials-analysis-laboratory.md) and [elastomers](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/polymer-materials-analysis-laboratory/laboratory-analysis-elastomer-rubber.md).

**Tribology** is the science that studies the phenomena of **[friction](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/laboratory-surface-characterization/friction-testing-dlc.md)**, **[wear](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/laboratory-surface-characterization/surface-wear-analysis-laboratory.md)** and **lubrication** between two surfaces in relative contact. It involves analysing the damage mechanisms of materials subjected to various stresses. This damage can occur at the very core of the parts (plastic deformation, [rupture](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-expertise-services/laboratory-analysis-failures/laboratory-analysis-ruptures.md), [fatigue](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-expertise-services/mechanical-laboratory-test/endurance-test-fatigue-testing.md)) or at their surface, under the effect of friction, wear, cracking and other tribological phenomena.

Test conditions can be particularly demanding: **high pressures, high speeds, extreme temperatures, controlled humidity, under dynamic or static loads**.
The work covers a wide variety of materials: [metals](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/metallurgical-analysis-laboratory/laboratory-analysis-metals.md), organic or metal matrix [composites](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/laboratory-analysis-composite-material/), [ceramics](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/polymer-materials-analysis-laboratory/laboratory-material-testing/laboratory-ceramic-testing/), [polymers](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/polymer-materials-analysis-laboratory.md) and [elastomers](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/polymer-materials-analysis-laboratory/laboratory-analysis-elastomer-rubber.md).

### Why perform endurance and tribology testing

This discipline is crucial in many industrial sectors: it allows to **optimize the design of parts, reduce energy losses, extend the life** of components and **improve the reliability** of products subjected to repeated solicitations.

 Anticipate wear and failure
In harsh industrial environments (heat, pressure, repeated friction...), materials are subjected to stresses that can cause premature wear, deformation or rupture.
The tests make it possible to anticipate the damage mechanisms before placing them on the market or during their serial life.

 Improve the design of parts
Thanks to targeted tests (friction, fatigue, abrasion...), manufacturers can:

- optimize the geometries,
- select the right materials or coatings,
- adapt the operating conditions (lubrication, temperature...).

The result is more reliable, more durable and more efficient parts.

 Respond to normative or client requirements
In certain sectors (automotive, medical, aeronautical...), endurance tests and [tribological testing](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/laboratory-surface-characterization/tribology-in-laboratory-surface-analysis.md) are **required by regulations or by contractors** to validate the conformity of a product before marketing.

 Understanding a defect or a case
When an incident occurs on a production line or during use (abnormal wear, detachment, heating...), the tests can reproduce the actual conditions of use to identify the origin of the problem and propose corrective solutions.

 Develop innovative materials
R&D teams need concrete data to validate their formulations or assemblies.
Tribological and endurance tests are an accelerator of development, by providing quantifiable results on the actual behavior of materials.

## The FILAB laboratory performs endurance testing - Tribology

### Why choose FILAB for your endurance testing - tribology?

Thanks to high-level internal skills and tailor-made support, [FILAB](https://filab.fr/en/) offers you solutions adapted to your problems.

The FILAB laboratory has a state-of-the-art [analytical park](https://filab.fr/en/our-technical-resources.md) and a qualified team, and supports manufacturers from any sector and size in surface analysis and endurance tests – tribology using analysis methods such as:

## Our technical resources

### SEM

### AFM

### RAMAN

### XPS

### Optical Microscope

## Our tribological testing services

 •
Friction tests

Friction tests

 •
Wear tests

Wear tests

 •
Freight testing

Freight testing

 •
Endurance tests

Endurance tests

 •
Surface topography

Surface topography

 •
Tribological behaviour studies

Tribological behaviour studies

 •
Identification of surface damage (failure study)

Identification of surface damage (failure study)

## To go further

[Analysis and expertise of wear on a material in the laboratory](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-expertise-services/laboratory-analysis-failures/laboratory-analysis-wear.md)

[Laboratory for the study of failures in the aeronautical industry](https://filab.fr/en/sectors-of-activity/laboratory-analysis-aeronautics-aerospace/laboratory-for-the-study-of-failures-in-the-aeronautical-industry.md)

[Extreme surface analysis laboratory](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/laboratory-surface-characterization/laboratory-analysis-outermost-surface.md)

[Laboratory for the study of ageing on materials](https://filab.fr/en/sectors-of-activity/laboratory-analysis-medical-devices/laboratory-analysis-astm-f1980.md)

[Laboratory for failure studies in the automotive industry](https://filab.fr/en/sectors-of-activity/laboratory-analysis-automobile/laboratory-for-the-study-of-failures-in-the-automotive-industry.md)

[Industrial training in surface analysis](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/rd/laboratory-analytical-chemistry-training/training-surface-analysis.md)

## FAQ

 What is an endurance testing?
An **endurance testing** **consists of repeatedly or prolonged stressing** of a material or component in order to simulate its behaviour under real conditions of use.
It allows the evaluation of durability, fatigue resistance, or even resistance to harsh environments (temperature, humidity, chemicals...).

 What is the difference between a tribological test and a classic mechanical testing?
- A **mechanical test** (traction, compression, flexion...) tests the overall properties of a material.
- A **tribological test** focuses on the surface of the material, and simulates real contact conditions (sliding, friction, wear...).

The two are complementary: one measures the resistance 'in the mass', the other analyzes what is happening 'on the surface'.

 What is the interest of an endurance testing - tribology?
Carrying out this type of test allows above all to reduce the risks of product failure, by identifying critical points related to wear, fatigue or specific stresses in advance.

It is also a lever to improve the reliability and performance of your parts or materials, by validating their durability and behavior in real conditions of use.

These tests also allow you to optimize your material choices and surface treatments, by objectively comparing the performance according to the constraints of your application.

They contribute to accelerate the validation of new products, by providing tangible data to guide development, R&D iterations or qualification phases.

Finally, they meet the needs of regulatory or contractual compliance, by providing proof of robustness required by your clients or normative benchmarks.