Topographic features of cylinder liners - an application of three-dimensional characterization techniques

Studies of wear patterns on engine cylinder liners show that radial wear is greatest on the anti-thrust side, and close to top dead centre. As a result of this wear, surface topography features at different positions exhibit different characteristics. Quantitative representation of the features is helpful for functional analysis and functional control of cylinder liner manufacture. In this paper three-dimensional characterization techniques are applied to produce a comprehensive characterization of cylinder liner wear at different longitudinal positions. The areal autocorrelation function and the areal power spectrum reveal the changes in topographic features. The different topographic features of newly created, after running-in, severely worn and bore polished surfaces of cylinder liners are identified by quantitative functional indices. The characterization techniques and parameters used in the paper constitute an effective approach to the characterization of surface topography of cylinder liners and other tribological surfaces.