Friction-reducing surface-texturing in reciprocating automotive components

A model is presented to study the potential use of micro-sur face structure in the form of micro pores to improve tribological properties of reciproca ting automotive components. The Reynolds equation and the equation of motio n are solved simultaneously for a simplified "piston/cylinder" system with surface texturing. The solution provides the rime behavior of both the clea rance and the friction force between the "piston ring" and "cylinder liner" surfaces. It is shown that surface texturing can efficiently be used to ma intain hydrodynamic effects even with nominally parallel surfaces. It is al so shown that optimum surface texturing may substantially, reduce the frict ion losses in reciprocating automotive components.