The focus of tribological research at FILK is the optimization of interior materials in the automotive sector. The further developments in the course of electromobility and autonomous driving have upgraded the interior to a landscape of well-being. In such an ambience, disturbing noises caused by frictional instabilities are not allowed to occur.

Seals for example have special functionalities to prevent noise from the exterior to enter the interior. Nevertheless, they can be also a noise factor themselves. These rubber seals are usually hollow chamber or lip seals, that are very soft to bridge certain tolerances. Mating materials are painted sheet metal, moulded plastic parts or glass. The movement and deformation of the vehicle can cause the seals to move relative to their mating materials. If unfavourable boundary conditions are present, stick-slip phenomena can occur and disturbing squeak and rattle noises are audible.

The representation of this complex system of material combination, load and friction behaviour (see figure 1) cannot be represented by simple physical relationships. Special tests and methods for analysing this system are necessary.

Therefore, the implementation of scenarios that are as realistic as possible in practical friction testing are required. The lecture deals with the challenges in the implementation of friction testing of soft-elastic materials in the laboratory and presents their problems, possible solutions as well as relevant influencing variables and evaluation methods for stick-slip determinations. As a result, dependencies of the relevant parameters like climate, forces and velocities are shown as well as possibility of predicting stick-slip behaviour from measurement results.