In recognition of his outstanding and sustained contribution to the science and technology of tribology, especially lubrication research, education and promotion.
Professor Alastair Cameron obtained both his BSc in Chemistry and PhD at the age of 20, at Imperial College. In 1938, a Salters’ Fellowship in Industrial Chemistry took him to the Colloid Science Laboratory at Cambridge. He worked in the Admiralty on magnetic mines during the war, and also founded the Joint Advisory Service on Lubrication. He published, with Mrs Wood, the first solution of the finite journal bearing problem using the correct cavitation boundary conditions. Today this is used by many design departments.
After a period of four years as Head of the Gearing and Bearing Section of PAMETRADA, he joined the Mechanical Engineering Department at Imperial College in 1953. There he developed his studies of lubrication as a multi-disciplinary subject. He was appointed Professor of Lubrication Engineering in 1972, a position which he held until his retirement in 1983. His inaugural lecture in 1974 on “fundamental Research in an Industrial World” was one of great distinction.
Professor Cameron is now a Director of Cameron-Plint Tribology Ltd. In 1972 he received a DSc(Eng) from the University of London and in 1973 and ScD of the University of Cambridge. Professor Cameron was the recipient of the ASLE National Award in 1972 and the Alfred E Hunt Award in 1977, the T Bernard Hall Award of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 1973.
In the extensive research programmes at Imperial College covering a period of almost thirty years, Professor Cameron examined a wide range of tribological topics. The early years were devoted to basic aspects of plain bearing performance; in a wide area a number of important papers were produced. Amongst them were basic studies of parallel surface thrust bearings which performance had previously been shrouded in mystery, the mechanism of porous metal bearings, studies of the intriguing foil bearing, of thermal and elastic distortions of thrust bearings. Consideration of the influence of the cross-film variation of lubricant properties upon bearing behaviour were amongst the wide range of tribological subjects examined by professor Cameron and his colleagues. He is the first to acknowledge that they have played a major role in the success of the Laboratory.
As well as working on hydrodynamics, his interest in Chemistry prompted a study of the mechanism of additives and scuffing. In the 50’s his group showed how matching the additive to the lubricant markedly altered performance. He proposed a theory of boundary friction based on the repulsion potentials of the terminal hydrogen atoms. The propagation of pitting cracks, the role of tin in copper alloys and the effect of austenite as well as the non-etching white layer in steels, were all studies. The culmination of this wide ranging work has been the recognition of the existence and importance of a thick polymeric boundary layer in mixed film lubrication, which goes a long way to explaining many phenomena in internal combustion engine lubrication, especially piston ring lubrication.
However, perhaps the most outstanding contribution to lubrication research has been in the field of optical interferometry. His experimental technique revealed the characteristics of elastohydrodynamic conjunctions, which were previously unproved features of theoretical analysis, permitting the confident application of theory to the design of gears and rolling element bearings. They also revealed hitherto unsuspected features of the phenomenon, especially time dependence of high pressure viscosity, as well as a solution of the point contact problem. Led by Professor Cameron, the Imperial College Group established a worldwide reputation for this work, which many tribologists regard as one of the finest examples of good science, experimental skill and sound engineering interpretation of research in the field of tribology.
Professor Cameron’s work was, however, not limited to research. He is well known throughout the world in the area of education. As early as 1954 he established courses on lubrication for undergraduates at Imperial College, and in the post ‘Jost Report’ era he set up short curses of one week duration which, between 1967 and 1970, were attended by over one thousand people. The curses were particularly well received by industry and served a valuable bridge between University and Industry. Also, in the area of education, he has supervised a large number of PhD students, many of whom are now in senior positions throughout the world.
He set up the Limits of Lubrication Conferences run every two years by his Lubrication Laboratory in Imperial College. These, which complemented the American Gordon Conference, enjoyed international popularity and continued until his retirement.
In addition to some 150 papers, he has written two books. “Principles of Lubrication” is regarded as one of the best and most comprehensive text books on the science of lubrication, whilst “Basic Lubrication Theory” – now in its third edition – is used internationally as a teaching text.
Maintaining a close and effective contact with industry, he has assisted in the solution of many problems in the area of lubrication and acted as consultant to many international companies. As a great supporter of the multi-disciplinary approach, he can be regarded as a personification of a blend of chemistry and engineering in tribology.
Professor Cameron is a scholar and scientist of rare excellence. His vigour and enthusiastically co-operative attitude, especially towards the younger generation, are well-known in many parts of the world. His versatility in both theoretical and experimental research is most unusual and impressive. He has coupled this versatility with a great teaching ability.
A highly innovative and advocate of the multi-disciplinary approach, he played an important role in stimulating definitive research in tribology throughout the industrial world. Through his lectures, seminars, conference papers and books, he has been one of the most significant contributors to the subject of tribology in our time.
Professor Cameron is a most worthy recipient of the 1983 Tribology Gold Medal.