Dynamic tangential contact of rough surfaces in stick-slip microdrives: Modeling and validation using the method of dimensionality Reduction

The dynamic tangential contact of rough surfaces of frictional elements of a stick-slip microdrive is theoretically investigated. By applying the method of dimensionality reduction, the contact areas of the frictional partners are modeled such that the physical properties of the contact can be fully considered and the influence of the roughness is taken into account. The dynamics of the microscopic rough contact is combined with a macroscopic movement of the drive’s runner in a hybrid dynamic simulation. The numerical results show a good agreement with experimental data. Furthermore, an analytical relation between maximal tangential contact displacement and normal force applied to the contact is analyzed, allowing the contact behavior to be theoretically predicted.