WPC micro polishing
I was forwarded some information the other day regarding a company out of Torrence CA. called WPC micro polishing http://www.wpctreatment.com/index.htm Have any of you heard of or used this service? What about micro polishing in general?
In the videos on their web site they show parts that have been micro polished that seem to have way less friction than even polished parts.
My questions about this treatment have to do with the fact that the parts they show in their demonstrations are always dry, in other words there is no oil on them. In one video they show what appears to be a lifter cup or something similar and set it onto a piece of metal that has been polished on one half and micro polished on the other. When they spin it on the polished side it spins a few times and stops, but on the micro polished side it seems to spin forever. But obviously we don't run our engines dry. I'm pretty sure if a drop or two of oil were put between the parts the lifter cup wouldn't spin more than a few times before the oil film drag brought it to a stop on either side. But maybe I'm not looking at this correctly and regardless of whether the parts have oil on them or not there is still a measurable friction reduction...or some other benefit not immediately apparent. Anyone have any experience or comments about this?
Karl
Micro polishing
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mag2555
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Re: Micro polishing
There is a level of fiction that a oil film makes that can not be done away with and its more or less unefected by this micro polishing so I see not automotive use for it since we can not do away with that film of oil!
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swampbuggy
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Re: Micro polishing
I think where the polishing super polishing becomes important is where the oil amount of oil present is minimal. I've heard him talk about when you're on a connecting rod with no bushing in the small end and you're running a DLC or some kind of a hard coating it is very important that the inside of the small end is super polished cuz there's no bushing. Mark H.
Re: Micro polishing
WPC company is not "polishing", they do micro-peening.
It is proven to reduce friction in some applications, tho exactly what applications those are...... is not totally clear.
Notice CP pistons now sells piston pins already treated.
The demonstration shows the surface texture improves lubricity enough that parts that can't normally work as air bearings CAn work as air bearings.
What does it matter to us? not a lot, but even so that's is basically the idea. The ideal surface for thin fluid lubrication has never been a perfectly flat and smooth surface before, and it isn't now.
I had some items treated, pretty neat! not sure if it works... can't tell. make sure what you send is of uniform surface hardness, with no voids/big pores in the metal.
It is proven to reduce friction in some applications, tho exactly what applications those are...... is not totally clear.
Notice CP pistons now sells piston pins already treated.
The demonstration shows the surface texture improves lubricity enough that parts that can't normally work as air bearings CAn work as air bearings.
What does it matter to us? not a lot, but even so that's is basically the idea. The ideal surface for thin fluid lubrication has never been a perfectly flat and smooth surface before, and it isn't now.
I had some items treated, pretty neat! not sure if it works... can't tell. make sure what you send is of uniform surface hardness, with no voids/big pores in the metal.