Keeping up with what’s next in the industry
By Rebecca Lintow, CAE, Executive Director | TLT Headquarters Report May 2026
The 2026 Report on Emerging Issues and Trends in Tribology and Lubrication Engineering explores four key topics driving industry innovation.
This month, STLE releases the 2026 Report on Emerging Issues and Trends in Tribology and Lubrication Engineering, the latest installment in a multiphase research effort to evaluate current trends and predict future developments impacting our field. Since the last report in 2023, a few topics have held on, while some new ones have emerged. Here’s a look at what you can expect in the 2026 report.
Artificial intelligence (AI). It comes as no surprise that AI is one of the biggest topics in the new trends report. Back in the 2020 and 2023 reports, we were just starting to understand how it might impact the world, and the focus of the report was automation, condition monitoring and sensors. The 2026 report covers FAIR data practices and profiles several research projects where AI is being used with impressive results.
Manufacturing. This trend returns from the 2020 and 2023 reports, and again, AI drives a large part of the conversation related to this topic. AI offers a major opportunity to improve productivity and efficiency and to rapidly troubleshoot production problems. The 2026 report introduces an approach to manufacturing improvements using AI modeling. Sensors continue to be a developing topic as well, and cold forming as a metals manufacturing process is also covered.
Thermal management. In 2023, thermal management was just one piece of the electrification trend. While data centers were recognized as an application requiring thermal management, electric vehicles were the primary focus. With the rise of AI, data centers continue to be an emerging area of interest for lubricant manufacturers, and the 2026 report covers direct immersion cooling in addition to air compressor lubricants and heat dissipation in metalworking fluids.
Decarbonization. This was a subtopic under the Sustainability trend in 2023, but for 2026 we’ve narrowed the focus to examine the developments directly impacting our industry—and the innovations where it is already making strides. Topics covered include renewable base stocks, extending oil life, additive replenishment and alternative fuels.
The 2026 Report on Emerging Issues and Trends in Tribology and Lubrication Engineering will be available digitally and is free for STLE members. Nonmembers can purchase the report for $20. Visit www.stle.org/2026EmergingTrendsReport for more information and to get your copy on May 4.
I encourage you to read the report and consider how these developments will impact you and your work in the next few years—and how STLE can empower you to rise to the challenges presented. Past reports are also still available for download. We look forward to providing the tribology and lubrication engineering community with the technical information, professional development and collaboration opportunities that will grow a strong future for the entire industry.
You can reach Certified Association Executive Rebecca Lintow at rlintow@stle.org.