Abstract
A force sensor design utilizing a photo-interrupter is presented for measuring the static coefficient of friction (COF). The measurement of ice friction on polymer surfaces, a process that requires detecting forces in the sub-Newton range, is chosen for the study. The photo-interrupter is coupled with a specially designed sensitive flexure, with structural parameters validated through finite element methods, to detect the small forces. The static properties of the sensor are characterized by calibration techniques. An accompanying rotary table is constructed to measure the COF of ice on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and polyester specimens under refrigeration conditions. The experimental results indicate that the device can be utilized to predict the COF. The designed portable and miniature friction measurement setup can be a compact and cost-efficient alternative to bulky tribo-rheometer equipment.
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Abbreviations
- F t :
-
Tangential force
- F n :
-
Normal force
- μ :
-
Coefficient of friction
- V o :
-
Sensor voltage output
- C o :
-
Sensor offset voltage
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This research was supported by the Koc University Manufacturing and Automation Research Center.
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Ismail Lazoglu received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees both in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, USA, in 1992 and 1997, respectively. Since 2012, he is working as a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Abbas Hussein received his B.E. degree in Mechanical Engineering, in 2011, from NED University of Engineering and Technology, Pakistan. He obtained his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey, in 2019.
Omer Subasi received his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from California Institute of Technology, CA, US in 2016. He is pursuing his Ph.D. degree in Biomedical Engineering at Koc University, Istanbul.
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Hussain, A., Subasi, O. & Lazoglu, I. A novel sensor using photo-interrupter for measuring static friction coefficient. J Mech Sci Technol 34, 2333–2339 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-020-0509-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-020-0509-5