A regular spaced array (texture) consisting of holes produced by pulsed Nd:YAG laser was designed in order to improve lubricant conditions of chromium eletro deposited layer upon mild steel. This surface textured was designed so that any hole behaves as an additional lubricant reservoir in boundary lubricant conditions. Metallographic and topographic analysis were performed and an analitical interpretation was proposed to describe tribological behaviour of this laser patterned (regular holes distribuition) and conventional (no laser treated) coatings. Tribological tests were performed accordingly to pin-on-disc procedure. A relevant increase in scuffing resistance was observed for texture coating: three times compared with conventional eletro deposited chromium layer. Better behaviour in wear tests (loss of mass) was also observed.
Nd: YAG laser; chromium eletro-deposited layer; pin-on-disc test; scuffing
