The objective of this collaborative research project is to establish the fundamental principles that relate microstructure and micro-scale mechanical properties of textured surfaces created by machining-based processes to the controllable process variables. To accomplish this, an experimental study will characterize thermo-mechanical deformation conditions of strain, strain rate, temperature, that prevail during material removal in texturing and their effects on surface integrity. Techniques such as high-speed imaging and image correlation for deformation analysis, and advanced electron microscopy methods and nano-indentation for microstructure analysis, will be used. The experiments will be complemented by modeling of mechanics of material removal to estimate the transient plastic deformation that occurs in texturing by machining. By integrating these results, the nature of the deformation can eventually be predicted, complementing the much better understood geometric-topographic aspects of surface texture.
If successful, the broader impact of the results will be improved performance and life of structural components through design and creation of novel surface textures. Based on the principles established herein, this design will incorporate both topography and surface integrity attributes, such as deformation and microstructure. The research will provide experimental and analytical tools for characterizing deformation and microstructure at multiple length scales, enabling among other things, understanding of the interplay between mechanics of surface texturing and surface integrity. Such an understanding is essential for characterizing the effects of texture on performance of structural components such as bearings, pumps, and diesel fuel sub-systems. Phenomenological insights will be obtained into transient deformation phenomena underlying material removal in machining and wear processes. Opportunities will likely emerge for exploiting the transient deformation phenomena as a means for reducing energy dissipation in machining processes.
