Researchers investigate the fundamentals of friction and its application to solving problems in Vale’s business units, such as reducing losses caused by wear, addressing phenomena related to friction and lubrication, and enabling cost reduction and environmental gains.
Tribology and Navigation
Researchers
Scientific excellence and cross-disciplinary expertise tackling complex problems.
Philip von Pritzelwitz
PhD in Materials Engineering

Philip von Pritzelwitz
PhD in Materials Engineering
Philip Von Pritzelwitz holds a PhD in Materials Engineering from the University of São Paulo (USP), a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, and a bachelor’s degree in Naval Engineering from USP’s Polytechnic School. He has extensive experience in the naval and offshore sectors, having worked for companies such as Verolme and Odebrecht, and has been an independent consultant since 1995 in machine design and finite element simulation for companies such as Villares, Hidralmac, Emgepron, Imbel, among others.
He collaborated with the CENO-USP and LFS-USP laboratories, contributing to research in mechanical engineering and materials. He is currently a full researcher at ITV MI, working in the Tribology and Navigation research line, with a focus on industrial applications and technological innovation.
Publicações relacionadas
Jose Jimmy Penagos
PhD in Mechanical Engineering

Jose Jimmy Penagos
PhD in Mechanical Engineering
Jose Jimmy Penagos holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of São Paulo (USP), and a master’s degree and undergraduate degree in the same field from the Universidad del Valle (Colombia). Since 2016, he has been a researcher at ITV MI, focusing on tribology, developing and coordinating projects on wear-resistant materials applied to mining.
He also teaches in the specialization courses in Wear, Friction, and Lubrication at ITV MI, and in the PROFICAM professional master’s degree (UFOP/ITV), contributing to the training of professionals in instrumentation and automation of mining processes.
Projetos relacionados
Projeto
Development of Wear-Resistant Materials for HPGR Press Pins – 2nd Generation Victoria Pins
Projeto
Increased Efficiency Of the Conveyor Belt and the Belt Splicing Process
Projeto
Increasing the Service Life of Iron Ore Briquetting Roller Covers
Projeto
New Metallic Materials for Coating Transfer Chutes: Tribological Performance of Prototype Plates
Projeto
Ceramics for Transfer Chutes: Characterization and Optimization of Material Selection
Projeto
Development and Selection of Wear-Resistant Materials for HPGR Press Pins – Salobo
Publicações relacionadas
Gustavo Tressia de Andrade
PhD in Mechanical Engineering

Gustavo Tressia de Andrade
PhD in Mechanical Engineering
Gustavo Tressia de Andrade holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of São Paulo (USP), and a master’s degree and undergraduate degree in the same field from the Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU). He works as a researcher at ITV MI, as part of the Tribology research group.
His experience focuses on mechanical engineering applied to the study of material wear, with an emphasis on abrasive wear, dry sliding, mechanical forming, and the development of wear-resistant materials, especially for the mining sector.
Projetos relacionados
Projeto
Extending the Service Life of Crusher Linings
Projeto
Development of Quality Indicators for Rail
Projeto
Development of Resistant Materials for Crusher Linings
Projeto
Wear and Heat Treatment of Moving Tip Alligators and Critical Welds
Publicações relacionadas
Eleir Mundim Bortoleto
PhD in Mechanical Engineering

Eleir Mundim Bortoleto
PhD in Mechanical Engineering
Eleir Mundim Bortoleto holds a PhD (2015) and a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of São Paulo (USP), with a degree in Mechanical Engineering with an emphasis on Mechatronics and Mechanical Systems from the same institution. He works as a researcher at ITV MI as part of the Tribology Group.
He has solid experience in scientific research and technological development in the areas of tribology, numerical and computational simulation, finite element method, molecular dynamics, and multi-scale modeling of interfacial phenomena. He also works on topics such as heat treatment, development of new materials, residual stresses, phase transformation, and engineering software development.
Projetos relacionados
Projeto
Study of the Evolution of Thermal Stresses in Rails
Projeto
Numerical-Experimental Life Analysis of Steel Railway Sleepers: Synergistic Effects of Fatigue, Stress Corrosion, and Wear
Projeto
Increasing the Service Life of Railway Fasteners: A Numerical-Experimental Approach to Mechanical Behavior and Material Properties
Projeto
Development of Materials for Grinding Bodies – Planning and Execution of an Industrial Test in Itabira
Publicações relacionadas
Mariana Lopes Pinto
PhD student in Naval and Ocean Engineering

Mariana Lopes Pinto
PhD student in Naval and Ocean Engineering
Mariana Lopes Pinto is a mechanical engineer with a master’s degree in Naval and Ocean Engineering, currently pursuing a PhD in the same field at the University of São Paulo (USP). She is a researcher at ITV MI, where she develops technologies to improve energy efficiency on ships, including rotor sails, air lubrication systems, energy-saving devices, high-performance anti-fouling paints, and shaft generators.
She has extensive experience in computational fluid dynamics (CFD), with applications in floating wind turbines, ship hull optimization, offshore platforms (FLNG and FPSO), trim optimization, floating breakwaters, military vessels, and single and side-by-side operations.
Projetos relacionados
Projeto
Reducing the Environmental Impact of Navigation
Publicações relacionadas
Scientific production
Key publications and articles