A fully automated ball-on-plate reciprocating system for the measurement of friction and wear under fully sealed, pressurised, and controlled conditions.

The HPR is a next-generation friction and wear test system with a fully sealed pressure chamber, which is able to run under high-pressure or vacuum.
A unique removable chamber design maintains pressure or vacuum even when off the system, which allows test blends to be made in situ. Combined with low cost standard specimens and small test sample volumes, the HPR represents a fast, reliable and cheap way to test fuels and lubricants.

Applications for the HPR include:

· Volatile fuels and blend studies.

· Inert gas studies, the small volume of the chamber allows test fluids to be changed in situ and – if necessary – during a test.

· The behaviour of low volatility lubricants under very low pressures, giving direct friction and wear measurements under precise test conditions.

· Lubricity studies under controlled atmosphere, for example hydrogen.

· Lubricity of volatile fuels.

· The behaviour of refrigerants under high pressure.

· The study of surface morphology and microstructure of coatings under controlled environments.

· The unique removable chamber design allows users to create and control blends in situ quickly and safely.

· Unique chamber also allows blends to be tested in conditions ranging from high-pressure all the way to vacuum.

· Small test volumes help to reduce test sample costs and wastage.

· Low-cost, standardised specimens improve reliability and repeatability of tests.

· The compact, efficient design of the HPR allows users to save valuable laboratory bench space.