Principle of surface texture generation and tribological properties generated by ultrasonic vibration cutting

Abstract

Recently, there has been a growing interest in utilizing surface texture to enhance the tribological properties of sliding components. Particularly noteworthy is the application of tool vibration at ultrasonic frequencies for efficiently generating surface textures. This study focuses on generating surface texture on the end surface of a stainless steel disk through ultrasonic assisted turning. The mathematical expression of the theoretical texture configuration, derived from the tool trajectory, is closely aligned with the actual machined surface. A novel geometric analysis was conducted to address the challenge of interference between the finished surface and the flank surface, resulting in a reduction in texture height. This analysis revealed that the texture height error from the theoretical value was limited to within 10%. Ball-on-disk tribological experiments were also performed on the textured surface to assess starting friction phenomena. The findings indicated that surfaces with texture exhibited a more minor fluctuation in the starting friction coefficient compared to those without texture. In summary, this paper explores the efficient generation of surface texture on stainless steel disks using ultrasonic assisted turning. Theoretical configurations were mathematically expressed and aligned well with actual machined surfaces. The study also introduced a novel geometric analysis to address interference-related texture height reduction. Moreover, tribological experiments demonstrated that textured surfaces experienced a more stable starting friction coefficient, highlighting the potential of surface texturing for improving tribological properties in sliding components.

Keywords

• ultrasonic vibration cutting
• surface texturing
• tribological properties
• sliding friction coefficient