Vibro-Mechanical Texturing (27159)
INVENTION:The invention utilizes a standard lathe and simple control system to create micro-textured surfaces. The invention is able to rapidly implement micro-textured surfaces at very low cost. The initial equipment setup cost of the invented apparatus is about 90% less than that of a comparable laser-based texturing system. Anticipated applications of this technique are to surface texture mechanical bearings and die/forging components in order to control the friction between surfaces.
The invention is capable to create “dimples” (or discontinuous grooves) of various shapes, sizes, depths and spacing so as to optimize hydrodynamic effects for maximum surface lubrication. The primary equipment needed is a standard lathe and an inexpensive micro-positioning mechanism. The invention is capable of inside and outside bore texturing, planar surface texturing, and both continuous and discontinuous surface texturing (See the below figures).
Current methods to micro-texture surfaces include chemical etching, reactive ion etching (RIE), embossing, vibro-rolling, and laser ablation. Such methods are either expensive and slow to implement or they are restricted to relatively soft materials. The invention has no such restrictions. It can rapidly implement new patterns for textured surfaces at very low cost on materials with hardness that varies widely.
Vibro-Mechanical Texturing (27159)
INVENTOR: A. Greco, K. Ehmann, Q. J. Wang
INVENTION:
The invention utilizes a standard lathe and simple control system to create micro-textured surfaces. The invention is able to rapidly implement micro-textured surfaces at very low cost. The initial equipment setup cost of the invented apparatus is about 90% less than that of a comparable laser-based texturing system. Anticipated applications of this technique are to surface texture mechanical bearings and die/forging components in order to control the friction between surfaces.
The invention is capable to create “dimples” (or discontinuous grooves) of various shapes, sizes, depths and spacing so as to optimize hydrodynamic effects for maximum surface lubrication. The primary equipment needed is a standard lathe and an inexpensive micro-positioning mechanism. The invention is capable of inside and outside bore texturing, planar surface texturing, and both continuous and discontinuous surface texturing (See the below figures).
Current methods to micro-texture surfaces include chemical etching, reactive ion etching (RIE), embossing, vibro-rolling, and laser ablation. Such methods are either expensive and slow to implement or they are restricted to relatively soft materials. The invention has no such restrictions. It can rapidly implement new patterns for textured surfaces at very low cost on materials with hardness that varies widely.
Applications:Micro-texturing of bearing surfaces, including but not limited to, journal bearings (both inner and outer surfaces), thrust bearin
Inventor(s): A. Greco, K. Ehmann, Q. J. Wang
Type of Offer: Licensing
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