1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to piston assemblies for internal combustion engine applications, and methods of forming the same.
2. Related Art
Piston assemblies for use in internal combustion engine applications typically comprise a piston body including a cross bore, a connecting rod also including a cross bore aligned with the cross bore of the piston body, and a wrist pin disposed in the aligned bores to couple the piston body to the connecting rod. In the past, bushings have been pressed between the cross bores and wrist pin to reduce friction and wear along the sliding surfaces of those components. Recently, in effort to reduce manufacturing complexity and costs, bushings have been replaced by low-friction coatings, for example the coatings disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,024,981 and 6,557,457, both assigned to Federal-Mogul World Wide, Inc.