Symposium 2026
Tribology in Industry and Research
50 years Austrian Tribology Society
November 17-19, 2026
Motivation and Thematic Focus
Programme
Interviews
Die Tribologie – Ein Auslaufmodell oder ein Zukunftstreiber?
Patrick Beau, Optimol Instruments Prüftechnik GmbH
Forschungsfragen in der e-Mobilität
Katharina VÖLKEL, Lehrstuhl für Maschinenelemente (Prof. Stahl), TU München
New measurement equipment at AC²T
Rainer Franz, AC2T research GmbH
Inspired by grease lubrication
Piet Lugt, SKF Research & Technology Development
Research in alternative fuels
Marcella Frauscher, AC2T research GmbH
Interesting innovations in tribology
Kartik Pondicherry, Anton Paar GmbH
Der Einstieg in die Tribologie
Mirjam Bäse, Magna Powertrain GmbH & Co KG & Gesellschaft für Tribologie e.V.
Highlights des ÖTG-Symposiums 2024
Andras Vernes, AC2T research GmbH
Fotos
Seminar | Wine Tribology
17 November 2026 | 13:00-18:00 | ARCOTEL Kaiserwasser Vienna
Rheology in Tribology
Piet Lugt, SKF Research & Technology Development, NL
Speaker
Prof.em.
Nicholas SPENCER
ÖTG Symposium
50 years Austrian Tribology Society & Technical talks
18 November 2026 | 14:00-18:00 | ARCOTEL Kaiserwasser Vienna
Seminar goals
- General concepts of rheology of fluids
- Influence of rheological properties on tribological processes
- Applications in practice and research
- Modern methods for the characterization of rheological properties
(The seminar will be held in English.)
Seminar content at a glance
- Viscosity
- Influence of shear, temperature, pressure and time on viscosity
- Newtonian and non-Newtonian behavior
- Piezo-viscosity
- Viscoelasticity
- Thixotropy and rheopexy
- Examples from practice
- Lubricating oils and greases in machine elements
- Biological systems, e.g. joint lubricants
- Food industry, e.g. chocolate
- Cosmetics, e.g. creams
- Measurement of rheological properties – Rheometry
Lecturers
Anton Paar GmbH, AT
Pondicherry is a tribologist with a PhD in Tribology from the University of Leoben and a Master’s degree in Nanomaterials from the University of Ulm.
Since 2023, he has worked as a Global Product Manager for Tribology at Anton Paar GmbH in Graz. His areas of expertise include engine tribology, biotribology, polymers, and coatings.
Kartik PONDICHERRY
Anton Paar GmbH
Lecturers
JKU Linz, Institute of Polymer Science, AT
Prof. Kracalik received his PhD in 2006 from the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. After a post-doctoral position at Montanuniversität Leoben and as development engineer at ISOVOLTAIC AG, he joined the Institute of Polymer Science at Joahnnes Kepler University Linz in 2014, where he leads the research group “Rheology”.
His research comprises processing and application of dispersive polymer systems (blends, composites and nanocomposites) and their characterization, nanotechnology in combination with material recycling of polymers as well as rheology of biological liquids (blood, synovial fluid, brain fluid).
Milan KRACALIK
JKU Linz
University College London, Department of Mathematics, UK
Prof. Wilson is a Professor of Applied Mathematics at University College London (UCL), Department of Mathematics.
Her research focuses on complex fluids, particularly non-Newtonian behavior such as viscoelastic fluids and particle suspensions. She investigates phenomena such as instabilities in elastic fluids and the interactions of particles in viscoelastic media.
Her work has applications in fields such as plastics processing, dental care products, and forensic science. Her pro-jects include the development of shear-thickening fluids for cryopreservation and the investigation of the rheology of toothpastes.
She is also known for her popular science lectures, including „Blood, Mud and Chocolate: Weird Fluids for Everyone“ and „Anyone for a mince pi?“.
She was the first woman to head UCL’s mathematics department (2018-2023).
Helen J. WILSON
University College London
ÖTG Symposium
Technical talks
19 November 2026 | 09:00-16:30 | ARCOTEL Kaiserwasser Vienna
Plenary
Keynote speakers
50 Years of the ÖTG – An “Obscure Society” Looks Back (and Beyond)
Shortly after the term “tribology” was coined, a young scientist (H. Detter) at the Technische Hochschule Wien took up the topic in several projects and ultimately founded the ÖTG in 1976. This society – described as “obscure” by a magazine – steadily established itself as a leading scientific-technical organization. ÖTG activities, above all the annual symposia, were soon enhanced by internationally oriented conferences. Highlight to date: the 2 nd World Tribology Congress in 2001.
The ÖTG also served as the coordinator for a series of scientific and technical initiatives as well as for consulting. ÖTG ultimately served as the nucleus for the Austrian Competence Center for Tribology in Wiener Neustadt (beginning in 2002). Looking to the future and in line with its objectives, the ÖTG is involved in two additional technology institutions related to tribology.
Friedrich FRANEK
Sustainability is a top priority at the Austrian Centre of Competence for Tribology
Sustainable tribology is becoming a key field for the next generation of energy-efficient, connected, and circular technologies.
Innovative high-performance lubricants, bio-based additives, intelligent surface coatings, and adaptive material systems offer new opportunities to significantly reduce friction, wear, and energy losses as early as the development stage. By using AI, digital twins, real-time sensing, and data-driven simulation models, tribological systems can be designed proactively, monitored, and continuously optimized throughout their entire life cycle. Resource-efficient materials, closed-loop material cycles, minimal lubricant use, and predictive maintenance concepts are becoming increasingly important.
Sustainable tribology is thus emerging as a key enabler of low-emission industrial processes, durable machinery, smart mobility, and future-ready technologies that deliver measurable environmental and economic value.
Ewald BADISCH
AC2T research GmbH (AT)
Comparable, Traceable, Trustworthy — Tribology Ready for AI
Tribological testing still starts from zero far too often: results that cannot be compared, data that cannot be traced, wheels reinvented in every lab.Born out of the ÖTG family, i-TRIBOMAT was created to change that, building a pan-European network of laboratories that work to harmonised protocols and a common data structure. Isolated test results become comparable, traceable and trustworthy data – the foundation for robust models and AI in tribology.
This talk follows that path from where i-TRIBOMAT came from to what it delivers today, always driven by real industrial problems. Industrial highlights demonstrate what this means for industry today – and where it is headed: tribological models, material and testing data, all connected to the questions industry actually needs answered.
Xavier BORRAS
i-TRIBOMAT GmbH (AT)
Space Tribology
Aerospace and Advanced Composites GmbH is a spin-off of the Austrian Institute of Technology and is active in the research and development of materials and technologies for space and terrestrial applications.
Conditions in space place special demands on tribological contacts – at the same time, tribological solutions developed for space also offer interesting potential for terrestrial applications. Cold welding, dry lubrication, and frictionless holding mechanisms are examples of why solutions developed for space also have a future on Earth.
Roland HOLZBAUER
Aerospace & Advanced Composites GmbH (AT)
From Scientific Excellence to Industrial Leadership
Europe and Austria have a strong position in quality of life, scientific research, and specialised high-tech industry, yet face comparatively modest growth that risks eroding long-term prosperity. Strengthening industrial competitiveness and accelerating the translation of R&D into market-ready applications are therefore paramount. Priority measures include lowering energy, non-wage labour, and administrative costs, alongside streamlining approval procedures to enable faster investment.
At EU level, the proposed European Competitiveness Fund, closely aligned with Horizon Europe, is designed to convert innovation into scalable products and European champions. Nationally, Austria’s industrial strategy focuses on nine key enabling technologies complemented by new instruments for leading companies, venture capital, life sciences, and defence.
Florian FRAUSCHER
Federal Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism (AT)
Design for reliability in tribology
Tribological aspects are often only considered during the testing phase of service-life design.
This talk discusses what design for reliability principles mean in the context of tribology, how tribological damage mechanisms can be addressed at an early stage of the development process, and what implications these approaches have for industrial practice.
Jörg SCHÖFER
Robert Bosch GmbH (DE)
Lecture of the host - Anton Paar GmbH
Rheometry und tribometry
Kartik PONDICHERRY
Anton Paar GmbH
Invited talks
Combining generative AI with reactive and classical molecular dynamics for sustainable lubricant design
Regulatory pressure to replace toxic and persistent lubricant components is accelerating the search for sustainable alternatives.
Within the EU project “SiToLub”, we combine generative AI with reactive and classical molecular dynamics (MD) to screen lubricant candidates before synthesis. Reactive MD evaluates additives and base oil aging, while an automated classical MD workflow predicts viscosity, linking molecular design directly to lubricant performance.
Hendrik EHRICH / Stefan J. EDER
AC2T research GmbH / TU Wien (AT)
Technical talks
Schmieröle & -fette
Exotic tribology of soft interfaces
Biotribology-related methods have gained considerable importance in a broad range of applications, where soft, heterogeneous, and time-dependent contacts present unique experimental challenges. This talk presents case studies spanning food and beverages, ocular systems, skin, cosmetics and tissue, cartilage, implants, and personal care products using a rheometer-based tribometer with application-specific contact configurations.
Stribeck curves and breakaway friction measurements demonstrate the critical influence of specimen selection on tribological response and sample discrimination. For food and beverages, statistical analysis further established correlations between friction and sensory mouthfeel attributes. The findings highlight the importance of specimen selection, experimental configuration, and data interpretation in developing meaningful tribological correlations.
Kartik PONDICHERRY
Anton Paar GmbH
AICE-LAB: Development of a small-scale testing methodology for tribology in cold environments
AICE-LAB (AI-supported Cold Environment Tribology Laboratory) aims at reproducible laboratory investigations of friction and wear processes in polymeric and metallic materials under controlled snow and ice conditions. For this purpose, a modular tribometer equipped with an insulated test chamber continuously supplied with dry, cold air is used. In addition to the coefficient of friction, temperature and relative humidity are controlled, while temperature changes at the snow and ice surfaces are monitored using high-resolution thermography. Initial investigations demonstrate a significant influence of surface roughness, material properties, as well as ice and ambient conditions on frictional behavior.
This contribution presents the developed experimental setup and initial experimental results.
Igor VELKAVRH
V‑Research GmbH (AT)
Life cycle assessment-guided tribomaterials development
Tribomaterials often have high environmental impacts and rely on critical raw materials. To address this, all four sustainability strategies were evaluated through life cycle assessment, identifying iron-aluminide laser claddings as a promising solution.Sustainable, non-critical, and recycled feedstocks were used, resulting in coatings with excellent wear resistance that outperformed conventional tribomaterials. In addition, selected coatings achieved carbon-based self-lubrication, further improving sustainability and performance.
Harald ROJACZ
AC2T research GmbH (AT)
Werkstoffe & Oberflächen
From inline oil sensor data to maintenance action: Sensors, condition monitoring and filtration
Predictive maintenance using inline oil sensors requires insight into sensor performance and limitations as well as lubrication system variables. This talk presents experience from more than 200 inline sensor systems, with focus on oil condition monitoring, machine learning, and advanced modelling. Key filtration perspectives are discussed for controlling abrasive particles, oil oxidation, and additive depletion, linking sensor insights to effective maintenance actions.
Morten HENNEBERG
C. C. Jensen A/S (DK)
Tribological and rheological characterization of lubricants and model fluids for in vitro implant stability testing
The mechanical stability of biomedical implants is essential for their long-term performance, making reliable in vitro testing methods important. This study investigates motor oil-based model systems as controlled and reproducible media for implant stability testing, alongside greases and aqueous biological-like fluids. Their tribological and rheological properties are compared in terms of viscosity, flow behaviour, friction, and lubrication. Motor oils offer advantages in reproducibility, tunability, stable composition, and cost-effectiveness, while greases and aqueous fluids better represent specific aspects of physiological interactions. The findings provide a framework for selecting model lubricants and developing standardized and predictive in vitro implant stability tests.
Sándor MANÓ
University of Debrecen (HU)
Porous pathways to low friction: The tribology of MOFs
Metal-organic framework (MOF) nanoparticles emerge as effective lubrication additives. This study highlights the impressive solid lubrication performance of a Ti-based MOF, COK-47, which reduces friction by 8.5 times compared to AISI 304 steel. COK-47 consistently maintains a low coefficient of friction (0.1-0.2) across various materials, including Al2O3 and Si3N4, outperforming other MOFs and 2D materials.
The formation of a tribofilm through the hydrolysis of COK-47 in moisture is confirmed, with density functional theory indicating that water supports its decomposition. This research emphasizes the potential of MOF and water-assisted lubrication in advancing tribology.
Carsten GACHOT
TU Wien (AT)
Komponenten & Systeme
Many years of successful cooperation between Austrian and Serbian tribologists - results, perspectives and challenges
Starting with the first contacts at the World Tribology Conference (WTC) in London in 1997 with Professor Friedrich Franek and in Vienna in 2001, cooperation with Austrian colleagues became one of the most important international contacts for Serbian tribologists and strong motivation for investigation and work. This long-term cooperation has resulted in numerous joint works on sliding and rolling bearings, gears, and other tribological phenomena, presented at many international conferences, including the annual OeTG Symposium as an important platform. Exchanges of young tribologists and visits to AC2T in Wiener Neustadt were a new aspect in common work and add new perspectives, motivation and challenges in future common investigations.
Aleksandar MARINKOVIĆ
University of Belgrade (RS)
Bridging lab-scale research and industrial application in polymer tribology
Polymer composites are widely used in tribological applications because of their low density, good corrosion resistance, self-lubricity, and wear resistance. However, translating lab-scale findings to industrial scale remains challenging due to gaps in fundamental understanding and engineering design. This presentation addresses this transition towards a semi-industrial prototype. Two in-house developed composites were benchmarked against commercial materials in reciprocating pin-on-plate tests at 20 MPa under dry, water, and environmentally adaptive lubricant (EAL) conditions simulating turbine guide vane bearings. The developed composites reduced friction by up to 74%, while EAL lubrication reduced friction and wear by up to 98%, suggesting improved bearing service life.
Nazanin EMAMI
Luleå University of Technology (SE)
University of Ljubljana (SI)
Bio is not enough – What makes a lubricant truly sustainable?
Bio-based, biodegradable, or non-toxic – but when is a lubricant truly sustainable? The answer is complex, as trade-offs arise between performance, costs, raw material availability, recycling, and environmental impact that cannot be adequately captured by individual criteria or simplified assessment models. From an industrial perspective, this talk explores why there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution for lubricants and why a holistic understanding of raw materials, formulations, and mechanisms of action is essential. Sustainable lubricants require looking beyond raw material selection – from assessment and development to application. Modern analytics and realistic characterization provide the foundation for sustainable product development.
Jessica PICHLER
AC2T research GmbH (AT)
Model testing and screening of wear properties of hot wire rolling components under realistic boundary conditions
Hot wire rolling produces wires and raw materials for screws, chains, springs, and rolling elements for bearings under extreme tribological conditions. This study investigates guide wear using a model test rig simulating wire speeds up to 50 m/s and temperatures up to 1000°C. Different guide and wire materials, loads, speeds, and temperatures were examined, complemented by damage analyses of worn components from the test rig and rolling mill. The results confirmed that the main wear mechanism, tribo-oxidative-driven surface delamination, could be closely reproduced on the test rig. Furthermore, Archard’s law was valid across a wide range of conditions, providing a basis for future wear modeling.
Michael PUSTERHOFER
Montanuniversität Leoben (AT)
Torque-based monitoring of abrasive interaction in rotating shaft-seal systems under lunar regolith simulants
In-process tribological signals were investigated as indicators of abrasive wear caused by lunar regolith particles infiltrating rotating shaft-seal pairs. Pairs of stainless-steel shaft and spring-loaded natural PTFE lip-seal were exposed to Lunar Highland and Mare simulants for planned test durations of 15 min, 30 min, and 1440 min. Frictional torque was continuously recorded. Post-test shaft surface roughness was used to characterize wear severity. Scanning electron microscopy of the PTFE counterface identified wear mechanisms. Torque descriptors – area under the curve, mean torque, and maximum torque – provided in-process information on abrasive wear. Maximum torque showed the strongest correlation with post-test shaft surface roughness.
Bahram TURAPOV
Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (HU)
Optimized hybrid bearings for industrial electric motor applications
Hybrid ceramic bearings are widely used in industrial electric motors due to their ability to prevent electrical erosion and improve performance under challenging lubrication conditions. However, their broader adoption is often limited by cost.
SKF developed a cost-optimized hybrid bearing concept, CeraDrive, based on downsized ceramic rolling elements while maintaining the key benefits of hybrid technology. This approach requires a careful balance between cost reduction and bearing performance, particularly with respect to contact pressure, fatigue life, lubrication behaviour, and friction.
Geometry optimization, material selection, and validation through performance testing demonstrate how an optimum balance between cost and performance can be achieved in hybrid bearing solutions.
Thomas KÖNIGSHOFER
SKF Österreich AG (AT)
Sensor-based lubrication monitoring in standard rolling bearing tests
Despite the complexity and high cost associated with rolling bearing tests, the number of recorded parameters is often limited. This study investigates the integration of high-frequency impedance measurement into a standard FE8 test to enhance the diagnostic capabilities of conventional lubricant evaluation methods. The real-time impedance data enabled the identification of transitions between lubrication regimes. In addition, tribolayer formation and breakdown, asperity run-in, and the initiation of pitting could be identified.
Christoph WINCIERZ
HCP Sense GmbH (DE)
Organisational Committee
Priv.-Doz. Dipl.-Ing Dr.
Nicole Dörr
ÖTG President
Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing.
Carsten Gachot
ÖTG Vice President
Ernst-Dieter Janotka
ÖTG General Secretary
Priv.-Doz. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.
Bernhard Scheichl, Hon. Assoc. Prof.
TU Wien
Institute of Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer
Dr.
Timea Erzsebet Varadi, MSc.
Floridsdorf Clinic
Medical Physics Unit
Venue, travel & accommodation
ARCOTEL Kaiserwasser Vienna
Wagramer Straße 8, 1220 Vienna, Austria
Information regarding the venue, travel and accommodation can be found here.
Call for technical talks
Please submit your name, organization, title and an abstract of max. 100 words of your contribution via this form.
As soon as your contribution has been accepted, please send us a high-resolution portrait photo and register for the symposium.
Call for posters
Please submit your name, organization, title and an abstract of max. 100 words of your poster via this form.
As soon as your poster has been accepted, please send us a high-resolution portrait photo and register for the symposium.
Your poster will be presented in the event area.
Exhibition stand
At the same time as the Symposium, a trade exhibition will be organized in the break area.
Please send your name, organization and information of your stand (e.g. electricity, monitor, table) to office@oetg.at.
Registration
The participation fee includes the symposium material (download, presentations on 18.11. and/or 19.11.), catering during breaks and lunch. Prices exclude VAT.
Contact
Dr. Nicole Dörr
President
Ernst-Dieter Janotka
Secretary General
If you have any questions about the ÖTG Symposium 2026, please feel free to contact us.
Sponsors
