Coating assisted surface finishing process

Abstract

A method of polishing a first component by a second component of a tribological pair is disclosed. The method includes mating the first component to the second component in a tribological configuration. The first component and the second component are moved such that a first surface of the first component and a second surface of the second component contact and slide against each other, so that the second component polishes the first component. The method further includes discontinuing moving of the first component and the second component when the first surface obtains a desired surface finish.

1 . A method of polishing a component comprising:
 providing a first component with a first working surface;   depositing a coating on a second working surface of a second component, the first component and the second component being tribological components;   mating the first component to the second component, wherein the mating includes contacting the first working surface with the second working surface;   operating at least one of the first component and the second component, wherein the operating includes the first working surface and the second working surface undergoing relative displacement while contacting each other; and   stopping the operation after polishing the first working surface.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein depositing a coating includes depositing a coating made of one or more of a nitride, carbide, or boride of a transition metal, diamond like carbon (DLC), or DLC with inclusions. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the depositing includes depositing the coating using a vapor deposition process. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the vapor deposition process includes one of chemical vapor deposition or physical vapor deposition. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first component and the second component are a mating pair of gears and the first working surface and the second working surface include flank surfaces of the gears. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first component includes one of a shaft or a bearing and the second component includes one of a shaft or a bearing that mates with the first component. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein stopping the operation includes inspecting a surface finish of the first working surface. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein stopping the operation further includes continuing the operation if the surface finish is not an acceptable surface finish. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein stopping the operation includes stopping the operation when inspection of the first working surface indicates an improved surface finish, the improved surface finish being manifested by a reduction in value of one or more of a maximum roughness, a peak to valley height, an arithmetic mean roughness, and a RMS roughness. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein stopping the operation further includes removing the first component. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein stopping the operation further includes replacing the second component having the coating with a second component without such a coating. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein mating the first component to the second component includes coupling one of the first component or the second component to a power source that induces relative displacement between the first component and the second component. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first component and the second component are rotating parts of a machine. 
   
   
       14 . A component polishing system comprising:
 a first coupling mechanism configured to attach a first component, the first component including a first working surface;   a second coupling mechanism configured to attach a second component and position the second component to contact the first working surface, the second component including a second working surface with an abrasive coating thereon, wherein the first component and the second component are tribological parts that are configured to slide on each other in an application; and   a mechanical power source coupled to one of the first coupling mechanism or the second coupling mechanism, the mechanical power source being configured to induce relative displacement between the first component and the second component.   
   
   
       15 . The polishing system of  claim 14 , wherein the coating is made of one or more of a nitride, carbide, or boride of a transition metal, diamond like carbon (DLC), or DLC with inclusions. 
   
   
       16 . A method of polishing a first component by a second component of a tribological pair comprising:
 mating the first component to the second component in a tribological configuration;   moving the first component and the second component such that a first surface of the first component and a second surface of the second component contact and slide against each other so that the second component polishes the first component; and   discontinuing moving of the first component and the second component when the first surface obtains a desired surface finish.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , further including depositing an abrasive coating on the second surface of the second component, the abrasive coating being configured to polish the first surface. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first component and the second component are a mating pair of gears and the first surface and the second surface include flank surfaces of the gears. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first component includes one of a shaft or a bearing, the second component includes one of a shaft or a bearing that mates with the first component, and the first surface and the second surface are mating surfaces of the shaft and the bearing. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the second component includes an abrasive coating, the method further including replacing the second component with another second component without the coating and replacing the first component with another first component requiring polishing.