Fabrication of micro-dimpled surfaces through micro ball end milling

Abstract

Industry and researchers have begun to shift their focus towards more sustainable and eco-friendly manufacturing processes in recent years. They have recognized the vital role of functional micro surfaces for a wide range of advanced applications to address this issue. By physically altering the surface structure of a material in micrometric scale, tribological, optical, fluidic properties and many other surface characteristics can be altered. Several researchers have reported that micro surface patterns can reduce friction between lubricated sliding surfaces, which in turn alleviate energy consumption and increase service life of components. Micro ball end milling is another viable technique for creating patterned surfaces, especially for metallic parts. By tilting the spindle and tool at an inclined angle, the spindle speed and feed rate can be adjusted so that the flutes of the cutter create periodic patterns in a workpiece surface. Machining is an efficient and versatile manufacturing technique, making the micro dimple machining technique an ideal method to fabricate dimpled surfaces. In this study, the fabricated surfaces are evaluated at a tribological level to illustrate their effectiveness at reducing friction. The development of efficient methods to produce micro patterns onto large surface areas can promote a sustainable future for a variety of novel products. The development of efficient surface pattern algorithms for generating different dimple geometries is also a focus; and, trends in cutting forces are identified by changing different machining parameters. Depth of cut and dimple shape, spacing and arrangement are crucial parameters, all of which factor into the performance of a functional surface. The results of this study strongly indicate micro dimple machining as an environmentally sustainable method of producing functional surfaces for advanced technological applications.