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This is the first episode in a two-part series exploring the fundamental principles of friction, tailored for lubrication engineers and tribologists. In "Friction Unveiled," we delve into the essential question: What is friction and why is its understanding so critical in our field? We will differentiate between static and dynamic friction, illustrating their distinct behaviors and implications. The episode will highlight practical examples where managing friction is paramount, examining scenarios where low friction is desired—such as enhancing the efficiency of race cars, extending the range of electric vehicles, optimizing turbofan performance, and improving the general operation of most machinery. Conversely, we will explore applications where high friction is essential for safety and function, including the critical roles of brakes and tires, with a specific example of wet brakes in cranes. Finally, we will introduce the key methods for controlling friction, providing an overview of lubrication regimes, the significance of viscosity, the role of lubricant additives, and the impact of surface coatings, concluding with some final thoughts on the pervasive influence of friction in engineering.

For more information, visit Vern's presentation on friction and traction.

For a brief video demonstration of our conversation, check out our YouTube Short.

Join us for Part II on July 28, 2025!

Our Panelists:

Vern Wedeven, President of Wedeven Associates, Inc. (WAI), is a leading expert in tribology research and development, with a career spanning over three decades. Since 1987, he and his team at WAI have pioneered specialized tribology test machines and methods, culminating in the innovative Tribology-by-Design (T/D) approach—a comprehensive system integrating theory, tools, methodology, and strategy to solve complex tribological challenges. Dr. Wedeven's significant contributions include advancements in space propulsion systems, such as the Space Shuttle Main Engine turbopumps, and aeropropulsion, with work on jet engine oils, bearings, and gear materials. An alumnus of Calvin University, the University of Michigan, and Imperial College, London, his extensive experience includes tenures at NASA Glenn Research Center, NASA Headquarters, and SKF-America. He has authored over sixty technical papers, contributed to three books, and holds three patents. A Fellow of STLE, Dr. Wedeven has been recognized with numerous accolades, including the Walter D. Hodson Award, the Captain Alfred E. Hunt Award, the Arch T. Colwell Cooperative Engineering Medal, and the STLE International Award.

Marc Ingram has over 10 years experience working in Tribology. His masters degree in Chemistry and PhD in Engineering (Tribology) helps him easily bridge the gap that so often exists between lubricant formulator and field/test engineer. He has worked with all major oil and additive companies after a successful career at Imperial College, PCS Instruments and Afton Chemical. Marc has extensive knowledge of all tribology test methods including both standardized and non-standa

For more information on STLE, please visit https://www.stle.org/ If you have an idea for our podcast, or interested in being a guest, please Email STLE Director of Professional Development Robert Morowczynski at rmorowczynski@stle.org . Also, we love your feedback, please take a minute to provide us with your thoughts at Perfecting Motion Podcast Feedback.

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In this episode of Perfecting Motion, we spotlight a true Titan of Tribology—Gary Wood, the northeast district sales manager at HF Sinclair and longtime CLS-certified member since 1986. Hosted by STLE President Kevin Delaney of Vanderbilt Chemicals, LLC, this conversation dives deep into Gary’s distinguished career, leadership within the CLS committee, and decades of contributions to the field of tribology. Listeners will also gain insight into the mentors who shaped Gary’s journey, his greatest professional accomplishments, and the evolving challenges he has faced in the lubrication and tribology sectors. He also shares his forward-looking perspective on the future of the field and offers valuable advice for newcomers. This episode is a must-listen for aspiring tribologists and seasoned professionals alike, highlighting the impactful role of STLE in shaping careers and advancing the science of tribology.

Our Titan of Tribology:

Gary Wood, District Manager at Petro-Canada Lubricants / HF Sinclair, I manage the sales and distribution of Petro-Canada Lubricants in the Northeast region, working with a network of distributors and customers to deliver high-quality products and services. I have been in this role since Aug 2022, and I bring over 30 years of experience and expertise in the lubrication industry, as well as a certification as a Lubrication Specialist from the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE).

Our Host:

Kevin Delaney, global sales director for the Petroleum Group at Vanderbilt Chemicals, LLC, in Norwalk, Conn., and STLE’s current 2025-2026 president. Delaney graduated with a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Penn State University in 1979. He has worked in the lubricants industry for more than 40 years. The first 20 years of his career were spent in the laboratory synthesizing additives, formulating packages, developing metalworking fluids and providing technical service for polyalkylene glycols and biocides. Since then, he’s worked in technical sales and sales management with extensive experience in Asia Pacific. Delaney has been an STLE member since 1983. He held every office in the previous STLE Connecticut Section at least once and organized several of their education days. He was on the STLE Board of Directors from 2005 to 2009. He also was vice chair of the Metalworking Technical Committee in 2000.

For more information on STLE, please visit https://www.stle.org/ If you have an idea for our podcast, or interested in being a guest, please Email STLE Director of Professional Development Robert Morowczynski at rmorowczynski@stle.org . Also, we love your feedback, please take a minute to provide us with your thoughts at Perfecting Motion Podcast Feedback.

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This month's episode focuses on using friction to help us. Yes, that's right, embracing the friction that tribologists try to combat. The focus is of tactile aids that solely rely on physical bumps, lines, and textures are limited in the amount and density of information they can convey due to "tactile clutter" within a small physical space. The lab has found that different surface chemistries alone can create distinct sensations without adding larger scale roughness, and Maryanne's work identifies frictional instabilities as a framework for predicting how different surfaces will feel from each other. This type of analysis and connection between material structure and dynamic friction can help predict how to engineer more advanced materials to expand the types of sensations people can feel, and design more types of tactile aids, such as sensors or medical diagnostics with inherently switchable materials.

Our Guests:

Maryanne Derkaloustian is a third year PhD candidate at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Delaware. She received her BS in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her current research in the Dhong Lab focuses on connecting surface structure and chemistry to frictional phenomena at the length scale of human touch to understand how humans tell surfaces apart and engineer next generation tactile aids. She was the recipient of a 2024 STLE Scholarship Award from the Philadelphia section.

Prof. Charles Dhong is an assistant professor at the University of Delaware in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and holds a joint appointment in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. He received his BS in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, and a Ph.D. in the same at Johns Hopkins University. He then held a postdoc at the University of California, San Diego with Prof. Darren Lipomi in the Department of Nanoengineering. His research is currently funded through multiple grants through the National Institutes of Health, including as PI and coPI of NIH R01s. His students have received awards and recognition in several professional societies, including three students who have received the STLE Scholarship Award.

For more information on textures and friction, check out our past TLT article on "Measuring the Brain's Response to Braille Friction".

For more information on STLE, please visit https://www.stle.org/ If you have an idea for our podcast, or interested in being a guest, please Email STLE Director of Professional Development Robert Morowczynski at rmorowczynski@stle.org . Also, we love your feedback, please take a minute to provide us with your thoughts at Perfecting Motion Podcast Feedback.

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This month we feature two of our poster competition winners from the 2024 STLE Annual Meeting. With us we have Joseph Shore who presented on "Predicting Electric Vehicle Transmission Efficiency Using a Thermally Coupled Lubrication Tool", and Ujjawal Arya with his research on "A Novel Multiphase CFD Model for Investigating the Flow Dynamics of Aerated Bubbles in Bearing Lubrication." Join us as we talk about where these two got these great ideas from and where their research as taken them since.

Our guests:

Ujjawal Arya is a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University and is working under Prof. Farshid Sadeghi. His research focuses on bearing lubrication, employing novel visualization techniques alongside computational and numerical models to gain fundamental insights into various tribological phenomena.

Joseph Shore is currently a research associate in the SKF UTC for Tribology in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. His research is focused on the efficiency and reliability of rolling element bearings. He completed his PhD "A New Thermally Coupled Lubrication Model for the Prediction of Transmission Efficiency in Electric Vehicles" in 2024. This work focused on the development of an efficiency model of an entire EV transmission, incorporating measured lubricant rheology to allow the model to distinguish between nominally similar oils in terms of their impact on overall drive unit efficiency. During his PhD he undertook a 3 month placement at Valvoline's New Product Development Lab and Engine Lab in Kentucky during which he obtained results on a real vehicle to validate the model's predictions. Prior to his PhD, Joseph completed a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering at Imperial, graduating with a first in 2019.

For more information on STLE, please visit https://www.stle.org/ If you have an idea for our podcast, or interested in being a guest, please Email STLE Director of Professional Development Robert Morowczynski at rmorowczynski@stle.org . Also, we love your feedback, please take a minute to provide us with your thoughts at Perfecting Motion Podcast Feedback.

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In this month's episode I sit down with Anurag Warhadpande from Bridgestone Americas. This podcast explores the critical role of tribology in tire performance, highlighting how factors like traction, wear, and noise are influenced by the tire-road interaction. Anurag discusses the science behind tire friction, including the mu-slip curve and road texture effects, as well as how wear mechanisms align with Archard’s Wear Law. The conversation also delves into the evolving needs of tires for electric vehicles, the rise of smart tire technology, and sustainability efforts such as bio-based materials and recycling innovations. Looking ahead, we examine future opportunities in tire development, including AI and IoT advancements, while debunking common misconceptions about tires.

Our guest:
Anurag Warhadpande holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University and brings over 12 years of expertise from his tenure at Bridgestone Tire Company. A recognized specialist in tribology, his doctoral research focused on bearings tribology, providing a strong foundation for his subsequent work in tire tribology. At Bridgestone, he has leveraged this expertise to drive innovation in tire technology. A former member of the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE), Anurag is deeply committed to advancing the field through cutting-edge research and practical applications.

For more information on STLE, please visit https://www.stle.org/ If you have an idea for our podcast, or interested in being a guest, please Email STLE Director of Professional Development Robert Morowczynski at rmorowczynski@stle.org . Also, we love your feedback, please take a minute to provide us with your thoughts at Perfecting Motion Podcast Feedback.

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In this month’s episode we sit down with Melissa Mushrush of MOLYKOTE Specialty Lubricants and Kathy Helmetag of Henkel North American Operations. Together, they explore the fascinating role of tribology in footwear. From icy sidewalks to slick dance floors, we uncover how tread design, materials, and surface conditions influence friction between our shoes and the ground. Learn why snow boots grip where high heels slip, how polyurethane soles might hydroplane, and what makes basketball games so squeaky. We’ll even dive into the science behind ice skating and dancers’ controlled friction, plus the surprising tribological tricks animals use to navigate their environments. Whether you're a footwear or tribological enthusiast, this episode will give you a new appreciation for the science beneath your feet.

Our Guests:
Melissa Mushrush has been a chemist for the MOLYKOTE® Specialty Lubricants brand since 2017, specializing in anti-friction coatings to improve friction and wear performance. She brings expertise in vacuum technology, thin-film deposition, material characterization, process data management, and accelerated testing methods. During her 14 years at The Dow Chemical Company, Melissa worked on diverse projects, including polymer light-emitting diodes and thin-film solar technology. She played a key role in establishing Dow’s solar expertise, collaborating with institutions like NREL and the University of Delaware. Melissa’s career reflects a strong focus on innovative materials research and practical industrial applications.

Katherine Helmetag is an organometallic chemist with BS and MS degrees from Drexel University. She has been working in tribology since the start of her career and has focused on lubricant design for all types of metalworking operations. Katherine’s current role as a process engineering manager for Henkel NA Operations has her focused on operation excellence in the chemical manufacturing industry. She mentors Team#2960 of FIRST Robotics as the materials lead and volunteers with Scouting America as a Unit Commissioner and Merit Badge Counselor, and enjoys instructing HPDE events around Michigan.

For more information on STLE, please visit https://www.stle.org/ If you have an idea for our podcast, or interested in being a guest, please Email STLE Director of Professional Development Robert Morowczynski at rmorowczynski@stle.org . Also, we love your feedback, please take a minute to provide us with your thoughts at Perfecting Motion Podcast Feedback.

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In this month's episode we sit down with Dr. Hannes Grillenberger, Product Manager at Schaeffler, as we talk about the tribology of climbing. Dr. Grillenberger, an experienced climber, reviews how he uses his understanding of tribology to help him choose equipment, techniques, and routes when climbing. Climbing, a physically and mentally demanding sport, involves ascending natural rock formations or artificial walls using specialized techniques and equipment. Dr. Grillenberger and other tribologists find particular interest in the friction and wear considerations inherent to climbing gear, such as ropes, harnesses, and footwear, as well as the tribological properties of rock surfaces that influence grip and ascent strategies.

Dr. Hannes Grillenberger received his PhD in physics 2012 and started working at Schaeffler at the Rolling Element Bearing Fundamentals department 2017. He was promoted to senior specialist NVH calculation of Rolling Element Bearings in 2018 and to Key Expert Rolling Element Bearing Fundamentals as a product manager for engineering tools in 2023.

For more information on STLE, please visit https://www.stle.org/ If you have an idea for our podcast, or interested in being a guest, please Email STLE Director of Professional Development Robert Morowczynski at rmorowczynski@stle.org . Also, we love your feedback, please take a minute to provide us with your thoughts at Perfecting Motion Podcast Feedback.

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This month we look back at our Annual Meeting from May of 2024 in Minneapolis. I took the time to interview some of our attendees on their attendance at the meeting and what about the meeting was important to them.
Each May STLE offers their annual meeting to gather industry professionals to network, learn, and grow together for several days. This year we will convene in Atlanta at the Hyatt Regency from May 18-22, 2025. Over the course of these 4 days we will over 11 full-day education courses, over 150 technical sessions, a keynote speaker, and numerous networking opportunities. For more information and registration to the Annual Meeting, visit STLE Atlanta Annual Meeting 2025.
And as always, for more information on STLE, please visit us at https://www.stle.org/. We have a wealth of materials to help you advance your career through our TLT Magazine, webinars, and in-person conferences. We look forward to hearing more about how STLE can help you, and to seeing you in Atlanta.

For more information on STLE, please visit https://www.stle.org/ If you have an idea for our podcast, or interested in being a guest, please Email STLE Director of Professional Development Robert Morowczynski at rmorowczynski@stle.org . Also, we love your feedback, please take a minute to provide us with your thoughts at Perfecting Motion Podcast Feedback.