Northwestern University

Rui Zhou

Jian Cao

Kornel F Ehmann

A compact deformation-based micro-texturing apparatus and method employ flexure bearing houses for rotatably supporting opposite ends of each of a first (e.g. upper) roll and a second (e.g. lower) roll to provide a working roll gap between the rolls, wherein at least one of the rolls has one or more micro surface features to plastically deform a surface of a workpiece deformed by rolling action in the roll gap. An electrical current may be passed through the workpiece to assist micro deformation. A roll gap adjusting device is operably associated with the first and second flexure bearing houses for adjusting the roll gap dimension to the final depth of the micro surface features to be imparted to the surface of the workpiece by the rolling action. A sheet material or antifriction element (e.g. journal bearing or bushing) is produced having at least one surface that includes rolled-in micro surface depressions wherein depressions have a lateral dimension of about 1 &#x3bc;m to about 10 mm and a depth of about 1 &#x3bc;m to about 10 mm, typically a lateral dimension of about 1 &#x3bc;m to about 100 &#x3bc;m and a depth of about 1 &#x3bc;m to about 100 &#x3bc;m.

Deformation-based micro surface texturing system

A compact deformation-based micro-texturing apparatus and method employ flexure bearing houses for rotatably supporting opposite ends of each of a first (e.g. upper) roll and a second (e.g. lower) roll to provide a working roll gap between the rolls, wherein at least one of the rolls has one or more micro surface features to plastically deform a surface of a workpiece deformed by rolling action in the roll gap. An electrical current may be passed through the workpiece to assist micro deformation. A roll gap adjusting device is operably associated with the first and second flexure bearing houses for adjusting the roll gap dimension to the final depth of the micro surface features to be imparted to the surface of the workpiece by the rolling action.

Growing community of inventors

Evanston, IL, United States of America

Rui Zhou