Radio-Isotope Concentration (RIC) Method
Precision Wear Measurement That Drives Performance
Unlock the Full Potential of Your Components
The Radio-Isotope Concentration (RIC) Method is a cutting-edge solution for ultra-precise wear measurement. Designed for engineers and innovators, it enables you to optimize mechanically stressed, lubricated components with unmatched accuracy—right from development through to final validation.
Why It Matters
In today’s competitive industries, durability, reliability, and energy efficiency are no longer optional—they’re essential. Even minimal wear can lead to performance loss, unexpected failures, and costly downtime.
With the RIC method, you gain early insight into wear behavior, allowing you to:
- Extend component lifetime
- Prevent failures before they happen
- Improve efficiency and sustainability
- Achieve superior tribological design
How It Works
The RIC method uses advanced radioactive tracer technology to deliver real-time, high-resolution wear data:
- Components are precisely activated to generate detectable isotopes
- During operation, wear particles enter the lubricant
- The system continuously measures isotope concentration
- Wear is calculated instantly and accurately throughout testing
All of this happens seamlessly in standard laboratory environments—no complex safety infrastructure required.
Animation, Renderung and Composition by Fraunhofer AUSTRIA
Key Benefits
- Nanometer-Level PrecisionMeasure wear rates as small as nanometers per hour
- Real-Time Monitoring Track wear continuously under actual operating conditions
- Faster Development Cycles Reduce testing time and accelerate innovation
- Comprehensive Insights Analyze running-in behavior and steady-state wear in one test
- Versatile & Scalable Measure multiple components simultaneously—even in hard-to-access areas
- Flexible Deployment Use in both laboratory and field environments with mobile systems
Where It Delivers Value
The RIC method is trusted across industries to optimize performance and reliability:
- Advanced Materials & Surface EngineeringImprove friction and wear characteristics
- Component Lifetime & Reliability TestingEnsure long-term durability under real-world conditions
- Micro- & Nano-Scale Wear AnalysisGain insights at the smallest scales
- Automotive ApplicationsPiston ring–cylinder liner systems Cam–tappet systems Gears and bearings Sliding components Timing chains
Fact Sheet
RIC - Radio Isotope Concentration method
continuous wear measurement in the range of nm/h by means of activated components in real and model systems
the components of a tribological system are activated in a cyclotron; the wear particles produced by the tribological process are transported to a detector via a lubricant circuit attached to the tribosystem; the amount of wear is determined from the measured activity throughout the period of operation
wear depth and wear volume during operation
prediction of lifetime, wear resistance of components; wear protection due to lubricant properties
activation of components
Contact
Dipl.-Ing. Dr.techn. Martin Jech
Principal scientist – wear determinations in the nanometre range