Surface texturing and its influence on tribological systems performances represent one of the main research topics nowadays. Textures functionality is initially ensured by correct optimization of its geometrical parameters, but the influence of textures quality is not to be neglected. Therefore, a proper selection of fabrication methods appropriate for each individual application is imperative. The process of selection is somehow exhaustive due to abundance of parameters and selection criterions. Hence, this paper proposes a general classification of texture manufacturing techniques, used nowadays within industrial manufacturing and research platforms, with pertinent description of each process including key advantages and drawbacks concerning their application within mechanical systems.

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Numerical models, proposed to analyse the elastohydrodynamic and thermoelastohydrodynamic (TEHD) behaviour of radial lip seals, have been considered in terms of an axisymmetrical approach to elastic seal deformation. However, the results obtained using a non-axisymmetrical elastic approach to investigating the tip of the lip differed from the axisymmetrical approach results in relation to the deformation distribution of the lip surface. The main objective of the present work is to show through numerical analysis the three-dimensional nonaxisymmetric effect of the lip deformations on the TEHD behaviour of radial lip seals. Hence, a comparison between both elastic approaches is presented in order to analyse the influence of the lip's non-axisymmetric behaviour on all of the operating characteristics of the lip seal. In addition, different forms of the lip surface roughness are investigated.

An experimental study quantifying the thermal behavior of a mechanical seal is performed. Temperature measurements are obtained using embedded thermocouples within the stator at different locations, and the tests are carried out at different sealed fluid pressures and rotary shaft speeds. Furthermore, an inverse method is used to calculate the heat transfer from the measured local temperatures. The Nusselt number is calculated along the wetted surface as a function of operating conditions; the obtained values are discussed in comparison to previous works. Our results demonstrate that the amplitude of the thermal effects is highly dependent on the operating conditions. The temperature rise being increased by 600% when the rotating speed is raised from 1000 to 6000 rpm and the fluid pressure from 1 to 5 MPa. Moreover, the temperature can vary by several degrees when the distance from the wetted diameter (cooled by convection) and the friction face (heat source) is varied from less than 2 mm.