Harmen Blok

{{short description|Dutch mechanical engineer}} {{use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Infobox engineer | name = Harmen Blok | birth_date = 8 September 1910 | birth_place = Amsterdam | death_date = 16 August 2000 | death_place = The Hague, Netherlands | education = [[Delft University of Technology]] | parents = Pieter Engel Johannes Blok and Wikje Harmina Poort | discipline = Mechanical Engineering, Tribology | institutions = [[Delft University of Technology]] | employer = [[Royal Dutch Shell]] Group | significant_advance = Prediction of flash temperature rise in rubbing contacts; Co-development of the four-ball wear tester | significant_awards = [[Tribology Gold Medal]] (1973) }} '''Harmen Blok''' was a [[Dutch people|Dutch]] [[Mechanical engineering|mechanical engineer]]. He was best known for his work in the field of [[tribology]].<ref name=":1" />

== Early life and education == Blok was born on 8 September 1910 in Amsterdam. He was the son of Pieter Engel Johannes Blok and Wikje Harmina Poort.[https://www.myheritage.nl/names/harmen_blok]

He graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from [[Delft University of Technology]] in 1932.<ref name=":1" />

He died on 16 August 2000 in The Hague. {{cn|date=January 2024}}

== Research == After graduating from the [[Delft University of Technology]], and a short period as research assistant, Harmen Blok joined the Delft Laboratory of the [[Royal Dutch Shell]] Group in 1933, to work on the fundamentals of [[lubrication]]. He left Shell in 1951 to take up a position as [[Professor]] of Mechanical Engineering at [[Delft University of Technology]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=1973 Tribology Gold Medal|url=https://www.imeche.org/careers-education/scholarships-and-awards/DGs/tribology/tribology-gold-medal/gold-medal-laureates/Imeche-tribology-gold-medal-laureates/1973TGM|access-date=2021-02-03|website=www.imeche.org}}</ref> Here, along with Professor Boerlage, he developed the now ubiquitous four-ball [[wear]] tester.<ref name=":1" /> One of his key contributions was the prediction of flash temperature rise inside rubbing contacts.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Blok|first=H.|date=1963-11-01|title=The flash temperature concept|url=https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0043-1648%2863%2990283-7|journal=Wear|language=en|volume=6|issue=6|pages=483–494|doi=10.1016/0043-1648(63)90283-7|issn=0043-1648|url-access=subscription}}</ref> He also worked on thin-film fluid lubrication<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Blok|first=Harmen|date=1951|title=Fundamental Mechanical Aspects of Thin-Film Lubrication|url=https://nyaspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1951.tb54238.x|journal=Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences|volume=53|issue=4|pages=779–804|doi=10.1111/j.1749-6632.1951.tb54238.x|bibcode=1951NYASA..53..779B |s2cid=97083140 |issn=0077-8923|via=|url-access=subscription}}</ref> and gear tribology.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Blok|first=H.|date=1969-09-01|title=Paper 3: Recent Developments in Gear Tribology|url=https://doi.org/10.1243/PIME_CONF_1969_184_438_02|journal=Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Conference Proceedings|language=en|volume=184|issue=15|pages=21–29|doi=10.1243/PIME_CONF_1969_184_438_02|issn=0367-8849|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=DeWinter|first1=A.|last2=Blok|first2=H.|date=1974-02-01|title=Fling-Off Cooling of Gear Teeth|url=https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/manufacturingscience/article/96/1/60/427504/Fling-Off-Cooling-of-Gear-Teeth|journal=Journal of Engineering for Industry|language=en|volume=96|issue=1|pages=60–70|doi=10.1115/1.3438331|issn=0022-0817|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

He was a Fellow of the [[American Society of Mechanical Engineers|American Society Mechanical Engineers]] and the [[Institution of Mechanical Engineers]].<ref name=":1" /> In 1973, he was awarded the Tribology Gold Medal from the [[Institution of Mechanical Engineers]].<ref name=":1" />

He was a founding member of the International Tribology Council (ITC).<ref>{{Cite web|title=History - About ITC - ITC|url=https://itctribology.net/en/about-itc/history/|access-date=2021-03-15|website=itctribology.net}}</ref>

== References == {{reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blok, Harmen}} [[Category:1910 births]] [[Category:2000 deaths]] [[Category:Academic staff of the Delft University of Technology]] [[Category:Delft University of Technology alumni]] [[Category:Dutch mechanical engineers]] [[Category:Tribologists]]