Design of a test bench for measuring friction force in a piston-cylinder system

In the present work, design of a first approach of a test bench prototype for measuring friction in a piston-cylinder system is presented. The bench consists of a motor, belt and pulley transmission, crank mechanism, a piston, a cylinder and a lubrication system. Friction will be determined by means of strain gages placed on the connecting rod of the mechanism. The bench also includes a phonic wheel for acquiring angular speed and angular position signals of the crank. In future research, friction will be studied for different surface finishes obtained by means of honing and plateau honing. Honing processes provide a crosshatch pattern that holds oil and helps lubrication of piston and rings. Honing conditions will be selected with the goal of minimizing friction. Friction is directly related to energy consumption of an engine and, thus, to its environmental impact. Keywords: test bench, friction, piston-cylinder system, honing, roughness.