A Study on the Ball Burnishing Main Regime Parameters’ Impact on Manufacturing Lubricating Groove Widths Formed on the Friction Surfaces of Multilayer Connecting Rod Liners

Abstract

The present research investigates the optimization of ball burnishing (BB) process parameters to create regular lubricating grooves on multilayer connecting rod liners to prevent engine seizure. The study utilized a Taguchi L9 fractional orthogonal array to evaluate the impact of ball diameter, deforming force, and feed rate on the resulting groove widths. Statistical analysis (ANOVA) revealed that ball diameter is the primary driver of groove width variation, exhibiting a non-linear parabolic relationship where the diameter serves as a stabilizing threshold. While deformation force showed a steady linear progression in widening traces, higher feed rates were found to restrict localized plastic flow, resulting in narrower groove widths. For the bimetallic structure (steel back with AlSn20Cu coating), the research recommends tailoring forces to the specific layer—forces for the anti-friction layer and for the substrate to avoid structural destruction. Profilometry confirmed that the height of edge inflows directly correlates with groove depth, ranging from 6 to 30 μm. The optimized non-linear regression model developed in this study achieved an exceptionally high coefficient of determination (R2 = 99.84%), ensuring precise predictive accuracy. Overall, these findings provide a robust framework for researchers to enhance the durability of heavy-duty engine components through controlled surface topography.