Leonardo da Vinci's tribological intuitions

In his manuscripts, Leonardo Da Vinci left many clues, rules and knowledge about the consequences of friction and the methods to reduce it. The Italian polymath studied and demonstrated aspects related to wear, lubrication and contact mechanics, which are the basis of modern tribology. All this knowledge could almost be considered intuitive in the sense that it led him to obtain solutions, concepts and definitions without being mediated by complex processes of reasoning. Through his sketches and extensive reflections, Da Vinci enhanced his knowledge. Present work analyses shows the evidence of knowledge about the origin, factors and the consequences of the relative movement between the bodies, as reported by Leonardo da Vinci and the importance in present day tribology.