Abstract: A procedure for estimating the maximum temperature rise in dry sliding contacts is proposed. The procedure is based on an analytical solution for the two-dimensional temperature field in a slab subjected to a moving heat source. Since the model shows that contact temperatures are extremely sensitive to the coupled surfaces engagement, the influence of this parameter on data reduction was investigated by simulating thermograms with Montecarlo tecnique. Finally, preliminary experiments were carried out on a specifically designed test plant in order to validate the procedure and to show its handiness. Data reduction by the Levenberg Marquadt technique led to quite satisfactory agreement with analytical predictions.
