For his outstanding contribution to the science and technology of friction, lubrication and wear.
Professor Soda’s work in tribology covers almost the entire subject, ranging from tribo-engineering to tribo-physics and tribo-chemistry. He clarified many tribological phenomena in the areas of sliding and rolling surfaces under lubrication, elucidating the basic mechanisms of friction, wear and lubrication. His published work is of exceptional range and quality.
Professor Norimune Soda was born in Kashiwazaki, Japan in 1911. He graduated from the University of Tokyo in 1935 and joined the Aeronautical Research Institute of the University, specialising in the investigation of friction and lubrication of aero-engines. He became Assistant Professor of the University of Tokyo in 1941 and Professor of Lubrication in charge of the Lubrication Laboratory from 1949 until 1972. From 1968 until 1970 he was Director of the Institute of Space and Aeronautical Sciences of the University of Tokyo. In 1972 he became Professor Emeritus of the University of Tokyo and a Professor of the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research from then until 1980. He was Executive Director of that Institute from 1977 to 1980, and is now its Honorary Professor.
Professor Soda’s achievements in tribology have ranged over many areas of the subject as illustrated by the following examples.
In the theory of hydrodynamic gas bearings he was partnered by Dr Y Kato and solved Harrison’s differential equation for the first time analytically.
Most of his publications deal with his studies of boundary lubrication and boundary friction. He insisted that boundary film, or built-up film, must be quasi-hydrodynamic, and he developed two new kinds of boundary friction testing machines which he used for his studies, viz: the Soda ¾” diameter four ball machine and the Soda pendulum type friction tester. Both of these are widely used in Japan for evaluating lubricants, and form the basis of Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS).
Professor Soda’s work also includes the studies of sliding and rolling bearings under high loads and high speeds. His greatest interest was bearing life and the mechanism of fatigue failure. For this work too he designed an entirely new periodic-load bearing-life tester.
In his study of wear of metals in dry friction conditions, he analysed in detail the wear process of pure metals in air and vacuum. By observing the characteristic of wear in terms of wear particles, their numbers and size, he was able to show that wear was related to fatigue failure.
For his studies on rolling fatigue, he developed the four-roller tester capable of either controlling or measuring the rate of sliding and the tangential force in rolling contact. With the equipment, he was able to investigate the magnitude of the tangential force, the lubricating conditions and surface roughness and their effects on the fatigue life of rolling contact surfaces. He demonstrated the influence of the direction of the tangential force on crack propagation and its effect on fatigue life.
In 1956, with the late Professor Dr Y Nagai, he established (with colleagues) the Society of Lubrication Engineers, which is now the centre of tribological activities in Japan.
In 1975, as Chairman of the Editorial Committee, he edited the “Junkatsu” Handbook of Lubrication.
Professor Soda is the author of three well known books “Friction and Lubrication” (1954), “Bearings” (1965) and “The Story of Friction” (1971), and for the latter he was awarded the ‘Mainichi’ Outstanding Publications Prize. Professor Soda has published over 180 papers, most of which are concerned with investigations of the basic mechanism of friction, wear and lubrication.
Professor Soda has received many honours, including the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers Outstanding Paper Award in 1959 and 1963, the Japan Society of Lubrication Engineers Outstanding Paper Medal in 1978 and 1981. He is an Honorary Member and Past President of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, the Japan Society of Lubrication Engineers, and the Japan Society of Aeronautical and Space Sciences. He was also awarded the Purple Ribbon Medal 1975.
Professor Soda is a pioneer and leader of tribology in Japan. The scientific group created by him is widely acknowledged both in Japan and abroad, and many scientists who have graduated under his guidance are now successfully contributing much to the subject. His achievements in the promotion and study of tribology are outstanding.
His great contribution to tribology, together with his noble personal character, make Professor Norimune Soda a worthy Tribology Laureate for 1981.