Rolling behavior of cylindrical micro-object analyzed by finite element method

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Analyzing the rolling behavior of micro-object is necessary for the realization of the micro-manipulation technique by mechanical-method. Thus in this paper, we obtain the rolling resistance of an isotropic elastic cylindrical micro-object in adhesive contact to a rigid surface.</jats:p><jats:p>In order to estimate the rolling resistance, we assume this adhesive contact to be the plane strain problem, and calculate the total energy of this system as the numerical function of the contact area using finite element method (FEM). The total energy of this system is defined as the sum of the next three terms: the elastic energy of the cylindrical micro-object, the interface energy within the contact area, and the mechanical potential energy that depends on the external moment applied to the cylindrical micro-object. A careful consideration of the energy balance of the system clarifies that the rolling resistance has the value of 0.1 [10<jats:sup>-12</jats:sup>Nm] for the polystyrene (where a work of adhesion = 0.1[N/m]) cylindrical micro-object with the radius and thickness. Hence, we establish the procedure of the calculation for the rolling resistance of the micro-object based on the principle of the energy balance by finite element method.</jats:p>