Experimental Investigation of Laser Surface Texturing for Reciprocating Automotive Components

An experimental study is presented to evaluate the effectiveness of micro-surface structure, produced by laser texturing, to improve tribological properties of reciprocating automotive components. The test rig and test specimens are described and some test results are presented. Good correlation is found with theoretical prediction of friction reduction on a simple, yet representative, test specimen. Potential benefit of the laser surface texturing under conditions of lubricant starvation is also presented. Finally, friction reduction with actual production piston rings and cylinder liner segments is demonstrated. Presented at the 57th Annual Meeting in Houston, Texas May 19–23, 2002

[1]  S. Furuhama,et al.  Piston Friction Force of a Small High Speed Gasoline Engine , 1988 .

[2]  W. Cheng,et al.  Simultaneous Piston Ring Friction and Oil Film Thickness Measurements in a Reciprocating Test Rig , 1995 .

[3]  Masahiko Nakada,et al.  Trends in engine technology and tribology , 1994 .

[4]  L. Ting.  Development of a Reciprocating Test Rig for Tribological Studies of Piston Engine Moving Components - Part I: Rig Design and Piston Ring Friction Coefficients Measuring Method , 1993 .

[5]  Yasukazu Baba,et al.  A Study of Piston Friction Force in an Internal Combustion Engine , 1986 .

[6]  G. D. Knoll,et al.  Hydrodynamic Lubrication of Piston Skirts , 1982 .

[7]  Shoichi Furuhama,et al.  A Study of Decrease Oil Consumption for NSOR-Two-Ring Package Piston , 1991 .

[8]  Izhak Etsion,et al.  Analytical and Experimental Investigation of Laser-Textured Mechanical Seal Faces , 1999 .

[9]  Izhak Etsion,et al.  Improving Tribological Performance of Mechanical Components by Laser Surface Texturing , 2004 .

[10]  Izhak Etsion,et al.  Friction-Reducing Surface-Texturing in Reciprocating Automotive Components , 2001 .

[11]  J. A. McGeehan.  A Survey of the Mechanical Design Factors Affecting Engine Oil Consumption , 1979 .

[12]  M. Hoshi,et al.  Reducing friction losses in automobile engines , 1984 .

[13]  Kôji Katô,et al.  The effect of laser texturing of SiC surface on the critical load for the transition of water lubrication mode from hydrodynamic to mixed , 2001 .

[14]  Izhak Etsion,et al.  Analysis of the Hydrodynamic Effects in a Surface Textured Circumferential Gas Seal , 2001 .