| Summary: | When looking in detail at analyses of the tribological load-carrying capacity of lubricants, it becomes apparent that an exclusive evaluation of the development of the coefficient of friction cannot provide any sufficient criteria for determining the occurrence of adhesive failure. This is due on the one hand to the increasing complexity of lubricant formulae, and on the other hand to the increasing power capacity of modern drive and control concepts in the construction of tribometers. For this reason, it is urgently needed to examine the adhesive processes and their detection in more detail with the help of appropriate tribological values and criteria. The evolution of the friction can be coupled with the stroke, contact resistance, and other parameters. Besides, from new criteria for adhesive failure, which were compiled by the workgroup for the relevant ISO, DIN, and ASTM standards, this contribution discusses the inclusion of additional parameters. The SRV<sup>®</sup> test system—where SRV stands for the German acronym for oscillation, friction, and wear—is one that was developed to analyze adhesive failure from many measurements alongside the coefficient of friction. Testing with the SRV<sup>®</sup> system is done via step tests with standardized procedures and parameters, which are in accordance with ASTM test methods. The system continuously monitors electrical resistance, zero stroke position signals, temperature, and other measurements, and can derive further parameters that also help to identify adhesive failure and other adhesive events. These dimensionally reduced parameters can provide new insight on the mechanism of the adhesive behavior. This paper aims to discuss how the interpretation of these step tests beyond the development of coefficient of friction can lead to new knowledge and insight in tribological research, and explores the applicability of Stribeck’s theory to the oscillatory and reciprocating motion utilized in the SRV<sup>®</sup> tribometer.
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