Investigation of Production Limits in Manufacturing Microstructured Surfaces Using Micro Coining

Area of Science:

• Tribology and Surface Engineering
• Manufacturing Processes
• Mechanical Engineering

Background:

• Microstructured surfaces offer a viable strategy for reducing friction and wear in lubricated contacts.
• This reduction can lead to enhanced energy efficiency and extended component lifespan in various applications.
• Integrating microstructuring into existing manufacturing processes is key for economic viability and large-scale production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the micro coining process for economical manufacturing of microstructured surfaces.
• To determine the manufacturing limits, achievable accuracy, and failure modes of microstructured elements.
• To investigate the influence of geometrical dimensions and aspect ratio on the micro coining process.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the micro coining process for tool manufacturing and the coining operation itself.
• Experimental investigation of cuboid and cylindrical microstructure elements with defined dimensions.
• Detection of minimal lateral dimensions, accuracy, and correlations between geometrical parameters.

Main Results:

• The minimal lateral dimensions for both cuboid and cylindrical microstructures were identified.
• Correlations between various geometrical dimensions and the achievable accuracy were established.
• The aspect ratio was identified as the primary factor contributing to failure in the micro coining process.

Conclusions:

• The study demonstrates the suitability of the micro coining process for manufacturing microstructured surfaces.
• The findings provide insights into the process limitations and optimal design parameters for microstructured elements.
• Micro coining presents a viable method for cost-effective, large-scale production of components with reduced friction and wear.