Title: Fabrication of a dimple structure using a machining process on a metallic surface

Authors: Jaharah A. Ghani; Sharudin Hassan; Mohd Nor Azam Bin Mohd Dali; Che Hassan Che Haron

Addresses: Centre for Materials Engineering and Smart Manufacturing (MERCU), Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia ' Centre for Materials Engineering and Smart Manufacturing (MERCU), Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia; Politeknik Ungku Omar, Jalan Raja Musa Mahadi, 31400 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia ' Politeknik Ungku Omar, Jalan Raja Musa Mahadi, 31400 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia ' Centre for Materials Engineering and Smart Manufacturing (MERCU), Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract: A surface texture, such as a dimple structure, can be produced through various processes like electrochemistry, electrolysis, laser and machining processes. This paper presents the fabrication of a dimple structure on an aluminium alloy 6061-T6 metallic surface using a machining process comprised of turning and milling. This fabrication was enabled with the aid of a newly-developed dynamic assisted tool for the tuning and milling processes respectively. The dynamic assisted tool that was developed was able to produce a dimple structure of various shapes and geometries in the turning process (spherical, short drop and long drop), whereas for the milling process, only a circular shape could be produced. The ranges that could be produced for the dimple structures were width of 153-999 µm, length of 964-3,261 µm; diameter of 15-30 µm; depth of 37 µm-155 µm and area ratio of 2.7-13.8%. These ranges in the size, depth, area ratio and array produced were within the ranges obtained by previous researchers to minimise friction and wear for sliding mechanical components.

Keywords: dimple structure; turning machine; milling machine.

DOI: 10.1504/WRSTSD.2018.093218

World Review of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development, 2018 Vol.14 No.2/3, pp.135 - 146

Received: 30 Oct 2017
Accepted: 16 Jan 2018
Published online: 14 Jul 2018 *

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