Citation
Taylor, J. (2006), "Editorial", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 58 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/ilt.2006.01858baa.001
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2006, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Editorial
In this issue we include six papers covering different aspects of tribology.
Five of the papers present mathematical analysis of tribological situations while the sixth examines the effects on bending performance when an alloy is coated.
Your editor is increasingly concerned about the direction in which our universities are working. Of course there is always the need for basic research but it does seem that the unlimited quest for mathematical analysis may not really be as valuable as currently believed.
It is not obvious that solutions to real world tribological problems are actually being achieved by this type of research.
At the recent World Tribology Congress, Dr H Peter Jost, who as you will know is credited with introducing the word “tribology” to describe the branch of science in which we are involved, made an interesting point.
He noted that a developed country could save between “1.0 and 1.4 per cent of an industrialised country's GNP” simply through the correct application of our science of tribology.
It would seem a good investment for governments to support universities engaged in, for example, work on friction reduction and improving component life. Perhaps more industrial involvement is needed to prevent the academic world becoming too theoretical about problem solving.
What do you think?
At Industrial Lubrication and Tribology we always welcome your comments.
John Taylor