Evaluation of the friction conditions in micro-textured surfaced created by incremental microforming technique

• Main Author: Lee, Jun Sheng
• Other Authors: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/60344
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Surface texturing as a means for enhancing tribological properties of mechanical components is well known for many years. Fundamental research work on various forms of surface texturing for tribological applications is carried out worldwide and various texturing techniques are employed in these studies. The idea behind such texture-induced friction reduction was from surface texturing, where the micro dimples act like reservoirs to supplement lubricant retention and debris entrapment. However, among all the practical micro-surface patterning methods, deformation-based micro-surface texturing is least studied. It has many advantages over other methods that could lead to immediate industry application, including higher productivity, higher geometry fidelity and better surface finishing. In the current work, a low cost micro embossing system based on a commercially available press has been developed to create micro surface textures of various shapes and depths with accuracy up to 5μm. The friction coefficients of the textured surfaces have been tested at different loadings, lubricants and speeds to demonstrate their friction reduction capability. It has been observed that at the low speed and high loading condition, the micro-surface texture is still capable of reducing the friction, which attributes to their lubricant retention and debris entrapment capability. At relatively high speed condition, on the contrary, the friction reduction is achieved by the hydrodynamic lift.