--- type: "WebPage" title: "Wear, abrasion, friction – Tribology in the laboratory" description: "Wear, abrasion, friction, you want to carry out a tribological study of your materials Material wear, abrasion and friction wear Wear is the progressive degradation of a material due to repeated mechanical contact with another body. It is manifested by..." resource: "https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/laboratory-surface-characterization/wear-abrasion-friction-tribology/" tags: ["EN", "pll_686fac669f97c"] timestamp: "2026-04-22T09:16:01Z" published: "2025-07-10T12:43:25Z" language: "en" author: "Laure Durieux" --- # Wear, abrasion, friction – Tribology in the laboratory ## Wear, abrasion, friction, you want to carry out a tribological study of your materials ### Material wear, abrasion and friction wear ## Wear is the progressive degradation of a material due to repeated mechanical contact with another body. It is manifested by a loss of material, a change in surface or an alteration in mechanical properties. Wear can result from several mechanisms, including abrasion. abrasion ## Abrasion is a specific type of wear caused by mechanical friction where hard particles (or a rough surface) scratch, tear or remove material from a softer surface. This is also known as abrasive wear. friction ## Friction is the resistance to relative movement between two surfaces in contact. It can be static (before movement) or dynamic (during movement). Friction depends on the nature of the materials, their roughness, the force applied and sometimes the presence of a lubricant. #### The correlation between these 3 phenomena **Friction** is a **mechanical phenomenon** that can lead to wear. **Wear** is a consequence of repeated mechanical stress, of which **abrasion** is a particular form. **Abrasion** is therefore a **wear mechanism** caused by rough contacts or **hard particles**. ### Understanding wear analysis mechanisms Identifying the root cause of surface degradation requires a precise understanding of the interaction between materials. Through wear analysis, our laboratory identifies specific phenomena such as adhesive wear, surface fatigue, or corrosive wear. By studying the morphology of the worn surface, we can determine if the failure originated from material defects, improper lubrication, or unexpected environmental factors. ### Wear, abrasion and friction: major industrial issues studied in the tribology laboratory In all industrial sectors – aerospace, automotive, medical, nuclear and cosmetics – mechanical materials and components are subjected to repeated stress: movements, loads, shocks, dry or lubricated contacts, etc. These interactions can lead to **wear, abrasion or friction, resulting in premature degradation** of parts, **loss of performance** and even a **risk to user safety**. To anticipate these failures, manufacturers need to analyse the interactions between surfaces in detail. This is what **tribology** is all about, the science that studies the phenomena of contact between two surfaces in relative motion. ## The FILAB laboratory, experts in tribology, can help you analyse the wear, abrasion and friction of your materials ### Why choose FILAB for tribological wear, abrasion and friction analysis of your materials? The FILAB laboratory offers you a comprehensive, tailor-made approach to tribological wear, abrasion and friction analysis of your materials. Thanks to state-of-the-art [analytical equipment](https://filab.fr/en/our-technical-resources.md) and a team of engineers specialising in [surface analysis](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/laboratory-surface-characterization.md), tribology, metallurgy and fatigue, we are able to simulate your actual conditions of use, adapt the test protocols to your constraints, and above all characterise the damaged areas in detail. ### Preventing failure through wear analysis Beyond simple observation, wear analysis is a tool for quality control and R&D optimization. It allows manufacturers to validate the durability of protective coatings, compare the performance of different alloys, and ensure that materials meet specific industrial standards. By identifying the initiation point of wear, FILAB helps companies implement corrective actions to extend product lifespan. ## Our other services [Mechanical tests](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-expertise-services/mechanical-laboratory-test.md): [endurance](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/laboratory-surface-characterization/endurance-testing-tribology.md), [bend](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-expertise-services/mechanical-laboratory-test/bend-testing.md), [tensile](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-expertise-services/mechanical-laboratory-test/tensile-test-materials-laboratory.md), [fatigue](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-expertise-services/mechanical-laboratory-test/endurance-test-fatigue-testing.md) [Expertise in surface coating](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/laboratory-surface-characterization/laboratory-surface-coating-characterization.md) on materials [Surface analysis](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/laboratory-surface-characterization.md): [roughness](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/laboratory-surface-characterization/surface-roughness-analysis/surface-roughness-measurement.md), [thickness measurement](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/laboratory-surface-characterization/surface-coating-thickness-measurement.md), [topographical](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/laboratory-surface-characterization/analysis-surface-topography.md) and [morphological](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/polymer-materials-analysis-laboratory/laboratory-material-characterization/laboratory-analysis-morphology/) analysis [R&D support](https://filab.fr/en/service-providing-laboratory.md) in the choice of surface treatments or cleaning processes ## Our technical resources for wear analysis, abrasion analysis and friction analysis [### SEM](https://filab.fr/en/our-technical-resources/laboratory-analysis-sem-scanning-electron-microscopy.md) [### AFM](https://filab.fr/en/our-technical-resources/atomic-force-microscopy-afm-laboratory.md) [### XPS](https://filab.fr/en/our-technical-resources/laboratory-analysis-xps-esca.md) [### Raman](https://filab.fr/en/our-technical-resources/raman-microscopy-analysis-laboratory.md) [### Profilometer](https://filab.fr/en/our-services/our-analysis-services/laboratory-surface-characterization/laboratory-profilometry-analysis.md) [### MO](https://filab.fr/en/our-technical-resources/laboratory-of-analysis-and-observation-by-optical-microscope-mo.md) ## FAQ What is tribology? Tribology is the science that studies the phenomena of contact between two surfaces in relative motion: wear, friction and lubrication. It is used to understand how materials interact with each other under real or simulated conditions of use. What types of materials can be analysed? We work with a wide range of materials: - Metals and alloys - Polymers, engineering plastics, composites - Ceramics and surface coatings - Biomaterials and medical materials - Lubricants and friction agents Why carry out tribological analysis in the laboratory? To : Identify the causes of damage or failure (e.g. breakage, loss of performance) Compare materials, coatings or surface treatments Improve the lifespan of a product or mechanical component Optimise an industrial process or assembly Meet compliance or safety requirements What is the objective of wear analysis? The main objective is to determine the root cause of material degradation. By understanding the wear mechanism, manufacturers can optimize material selection, improve surface treatments, and prevent recurring mechanical failures. What is the difference between wear and abrasion? Wear is the general term for material loss due to contact , whereas abrasion is a specific type of wear caused specifically by hard particles or rough surfaces scratching the material.