Friction control is a vital technology for reaching sustainable development goals, and surface texturing is one of the most effective and efficient techniques for friction reduction. This study investigated the performance of a micro-dimpled texture under varying texture densities and experimental conditions. Reciprocating sliding tests were performed to evaluate the effects of the micro-dimpled texture on friction reduction under different normal loads and lubrication conditions. The results suggested that a micro-dimpled texture could reduce the coefficient of friction (CoF) under dry and lubricated conditions, and high dimple density results in a lower CoF. The dominant mechanism of the micro-dimpled texture's effect on friction reduction was discussed, and surface observation and simulation suggested that a micro-dimpled texture could reduce the contact area at the friction interface, thereby reducing CoF.
Keywords: dry friction; friction reduction; laser surface texturing; micro dimples.