Incorporation of Particulate Additives Into Metal Working Surfaces

Abstract

A mechanical device and method for lapping a metal working surface, the device including: (a) a workpiece having the metal working surface; (b) a contact surface, disposed generally opposite the working surface, for moving in a relative motion to the working surface; (c) a plurality of abrasive particles, disposed between the contact surface and the working surface, and (d) a mechanism, associated with at least one of the surfaces, for applying the relative motion, and for exerting a load on the contact surface and the working surface, the contact surface for providing an at least partially elastic interaction with the abrasive particles, wherein, associated with the contact surface is a particulate additive material, and wherein, upon activation of the mechanism, the relative motion under the load causes a portion of the abrasive particles to lap the working surface, and wherein the relative motion under the load effects incorporation of a portion of the particulate additive material into the working surface.

1 . A mechanical device for lapping a metal working surface, the device comprising:
 (a) a workpiece having the metal working surface;   (b) a contact surface, disposed generally opposite said working surface, said contact surface for moving in a relative motion to said working surface;   (c) a plurality of abrasive particles, said particles disposed between said contact surface and said working surface, and   (d) a mechanism, associated with at least one of said working surface and said contact surface, for applying said relative motion, and for exerting a load on said contact surface and said working surface,   said contact surface for providing an at least partially elastic interaction with said plurality of abrasive particles,   wherein, associated with said contact surface is a particulate additive material,   and wherein, upon activation of said mechanism, said load causes a portion of said abrasive particles to contact said working surface, and wherein said relative motion under said load effects incorporation of a portion of said particulate additive material into said metal working surface.   
   
   
       2 . The mechanical device of  claim 1 , wherein said contact surface has a Shore D hardness within a range of 40-90. 
   
   
       3 . The mechanical device of  claim 1 , wherein said particulate additive material includes a solid lubricant. 
   
   
       4 . The mechanical device of  claim 1 , wherein said abrasive particles are freely disposed between said contact surface and said working surface. 
   
   
       5 . The mechanical device of  claim 1 , wherein said particulate additive material is disposed within said contact surface, such that upon said activation of said mechanism, said relative motion causes at least a portion of said particulate additive material to be mechanically transferred from said contact surface and to effect said incorporation of said particulate additive material into said metal working surface. 
   
   
       6 . The mechanical device of  claim 1 , wherein said contact surface includes a polymeric material, and wherein said particulate additive material is intimately dispersed within said polymeric material. 
   
   
       7 . The mechanical device of  claim 6 , wherein said polymeric material includes an epoxy material. 
   
   
       8 . The mechanical device of  claim 6 , wherein said particulate additive material includes a solid lubricant. 
   
   
       9 . The mechanical device of  claim 5 , wherein said particulate additive material includes a solid lubricant. 
   
   
       10 . The mechanical device of  claim 5 , wherein said Shore D hardness is within a range of 65-85. 
   
   
       11 . The mechanical device of  claim 5 , wherein said Shore D hardness is within a range of 65-90, and wherein said impact resistance is within a range of 4-12 kJ/m 2 . 
   
   
       12 . The mechanical device of  claim 5 , wherein said Shore D hardness is within a range of 70-80, and wherein said impact resistance is within a range of 5-8 kJ/m 2 . 
   
   
       13 . The mechanical device of  claim 1 , wherein said contact surface is disposed on a lapping tool. 
   
   
       14 . The mechanical device of  claim 1 , wherein said abrasive particles include alumina particles. 
   
   
       15 . The mechanical device of  claim 1 , wherein a composition of said contact surface includes both an epoxy material and polyurethane, and wherein said Shore D hardness is within a range of 65-90, and said impact resistance is within a range of 4-9 kJ/m 2 . 
   
   
       16 . The mechanical device of  claim 1 , wherein a composition of said contact surface includes an epoxy material and polyurethane in a weight ratio of 25:75 to 90:10. 
   
   
       17 . The mechanical device of  claim 1 , wherein a composition of said contact surface includes polyurethane in a range of 3% to 75%, by weight. 
   
   
       18 . The mechanical device of  claim 1 , wherein a composition of said contact surface includes an epoxy material in a range of 30% to 90%, by weight. 
   
   
       19 . The mechanical device of  claim 1 , wherein said metal working surface includes a steel working surface. 
   
   
       20 . The mechanical device of  claim 1 , wherein said mechanism is adapted such that said load on said contact surface is exerted in a substantially normal direction with respect to said contact surface and said working surface. 
   
   
       21 . The mechanical device of  claim 1 , wherein said particulate additive material has a Mohs hardness of less than 5. 
   
   
       22 . The mechanical device of  claim 1 , wherein said particulate additive material has a Mohs hardness of less than 3. 
   
   
       23 . A lapping method comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a system including:
 (i) a metal workpiece having a metal working surface; 
 (ii) a contact surface, disposed generally opposite said working surface, said contact surface for moving in a relative motion to said working surface; 
 (iii) a plurality of abrasive particles, said particles disposed between said contact surface and said working surface, and 
 (iv) a plurality of solid particles, associated with said contact surface; 
   (b) exerting a load in a substantially normal direction to said contact surface and said metal working surface,   (c) lapping said workpiece by applying a relative motion between said metal working surface and said contact surface, so as to
 (i) effect an at least partially elastic interaction between said contact surface and said abrasive particles such that at least a portion of said abrasive particles penetrate both said working surface and said contact surface, and 
 (ii) incorporate said particulate additive into said metal working surface. 
   
   
   
       24 . The lapping method of  claim 23 , further comprising the step of:
 (d) applying microrelief to said metal working surface to produce at least one recess.   
   
   
       25 . The lapping method of  claim 24 , wherein said particulate additive includes at least one material selected from the group consisting of cobalt chloride, molybdenum disulfide, graphite, a fullerene, tungsten disulfide, mica, boron nitride, silver sulfate, cadmium chloride, cadmium iodide, borax, boric acid and lead iodide. 
   
   
       26 . A mechanical device for lapping a metal working surface of a workpiece, the device comprising:
 a contact surface, for disposing generally opposite the metal working surface, said contact surface for moving in a relative motion to the working surface,   said contact surface including:   (a) at least one polymeric material, and   (b) particulate matter, dispersed within said polymeric material,   said contact surface having a Shore D hardness within a range of 65-90,   said contact surface designed and configured such that during the lapping of the metal working surface of the workpiece, said particulate matter is mechanically transferred from said contact surface and incorporated into said metal working surface.   
   
   
       27 . The mechanical device of  claim 26 , wherein said particulate matter includes a solid lubricant. 
   
   
       28 . The mechanical device of  claim 26 , wherein said polymeric material includes an epoxy material. 
   
   
       29 . The mechanical device of  claim 26 , wherein said polymeric material includes a polyurethane. 
   
   
       30 . The mechanical device of  claim 26 , wherein said particulate matter is a filler material within said polymeric material. 
   
   
       31 . The mechanical device of  claim 26 , wherein said particulate matter has a Mohs hardness of less than 5. 
   
   
       32 . The mechanical device of  claim 26 , wherein said particulate matter has a Mohs hardness of less than 3. 
   
   
       33 . The mechanical device of  claim 26 , wherein at least 90% of said particulate matter have a diameter of less than 20 microns. 
   
   
       34 . The mechanical device of  claim 26 , wherein at least 90% of said particulate matter have a diameter of less than 10 microns. 
   
   
       35 . The mechanical device of  claim 26 , wherein at least 90% of said particulate matter have a diameter of less than 2 microns.