Abstract
This chapter explores the potential of bio-inspiration in 3- and 4-D printing. The authors argue that the true potential of texturing hasn't been realized yet not because of the lack of enabling texturing technologies but because of the severe lack of detailed information about the functional details of texturing in a tribological situation, that is, how surface features, their geometry, interact with the functional gradients present within the subsurface layers to control the friction profile of a structure. The material emphasizes the potential of bio-inspired surfaces in providing a pathway for realizing true synchronization of function through a layer-by-layer customization of surface and subsurface material. In particular the chapter discusses methodologies to extract design parameters that lead to manifesting 4-D printed tribological constructs where surface and sub-surfaces respond optimally to external stimulants represented by the operation conditions of load, speed, and ambient temperature. Successful design of functional deterministic surfaces is not a product of mere biomimicry. Rather, it culminates probing the geometry, texture, form, and construction of the bio-analogue and linking these ingredients to the desired functional profile of the surface in the human engineering domain, that is, generation of bio-inspired functional surface designs stems from implementing design rules rather than replication of natural constructions. Deduction of design rules requires decoding the metrological features and the analysis of surface performance, of bio-analogues using standardized engineering methods. Success in designing a bio-inspired surface, therefore, requires a trans-disciplinary approach that combines engineering, physics, and biology. These don't combine naturally since they entail different methodologies of problem solving and investigations. It is hoped that this book would bridge the gap between the disciplines in the context of biomimetic surface design and construction. Further, it is hoped that the material would equip the reader with the basic skills needed to navigate between the biological and the engineering domains.