In order to systematically investigate the tribological behavior of machine elements, several different tribometers based on simplifications of the contact situation have been developed and used successfully in the past. Many of these tribometers have become a standard testing equipment for tribologists. For the contact of radial shaft seals (RSSs), currently no such tribometer exists that can be used to characterize their behavior in a satisfying manner. In this paper, a tribologically equivalent system for RSSs is presented. The contact between the sealing lip and shaft is reproduced using a ring-shaped sample prepared from elastomer test slabs of the respective application material in contact with a conical shaft. The cone angle is chosen to properly represent the contact angles of the RSS under investigation by means of finite element (FE)-simulation of the contact pressure. The test rig allows for the on-line determination of friction, contact temperature, and wear progress. Results show good agreement of friction coefficient and wear behavior for the pairing of two typical elastomers with synthetic and mineral-based lubricants.

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