Wing foil bearings and methods of manufacturing same

A method for manufacturing a wing foil bearing, the method comprising:

• providing a mounting surface layer;
• providing a plurality of tab foil layers, each tab foil layer prepared by:
• forming a two-dimensional array of as plurality of tab shapes on a thin material, each tab shape defined by a boundary of material separated from the thin material and having an integral edge integral with the thin material and a free edge substantially opposite the integral edge, and
• forming a two-dimensional array of a plurality of cantilever tabs having a free-state bend from the thin material;
• providing a counter-surface layer;
• positioning a first tab foil layer from the plurality of tab foil layers into cooperative engagement with the mounting surface layer;
• positioning a second tab foil layer from the plurality of tab foil layers into cooperative engagement with the first tab foil layer, wherein each cantilever tab in a plurality of cantilever tabs of the first tab foil layer is disposed within a window region in a plurality of windows of a second tab foil layer;
• and
• positioning a counter-surface layer cooperatively engaged with at least a portion of the two-dimensional array of cantilever tabs on at least one of the plurality of tab foils.