Understanding biologicalisation of the snake-skin inspired textures through additive manufacturing for mechanical traction

Abstract This biologicalisation aimed research explores the convergence of bio-inspired design and additive manufacturing for mechanical traction. Snake-skin inspired anisotropic textures having different hierarchical designs were manufactured using a laser powder-bed fusion (L-PBF) process. Laser microscopy was performed to characterize the texture while tribological measurements were performed to understand the role of texture on frictional properties for guided traction. The results showed oscillating and anisotropic frictional response dictated by the relative orientation of micro-texture with respect to the motion. The learning from this research can facilitate additive manufacturing of anti-slippery designs suitable for applications such as mechanical fixtures and components.