Fluid flow analysis of magnetorheological abrasive flow finishing (MRAFF) process

A new precision finishing process called magnetorheological abrasive flow finishing (MRAFF), which is basically a combination of abrasive flow machining (AFM) and magnetorheological finishing (MRF), has been developed for nano-finishing of parts even with complicated geometry for a wide range of industrial applications. This paper deals with the theoretical investigations into the mechanism of MRAFF process to study the effects of various process parameters. In the present work, an attempt has been made to analyze the medium flow through the fixture by finite difference method by assuming the medium as Bingham plastic to evaluate the stresses developed during the process. A capillary viscometer has been designed and fabricated to study the effect of magnetic field on the rheological properties of the medium. Microstructure of the mixture of ferromagnetic and abrasive particles in magnetorheological polishing fluid (MRPF) has been proposed, and normal force on the abrasive particles is calculated from the applied magnetic field. A model for the prediction of material removal and surface roughness has also been presented. Theoretical results compare well with the experimental data available in the literature.     

Design and development of the magnetorheological abrasive flow finishing (MRAFF) process

A new precision finishing process for complex internal geometries using smart magnetorheological polishing fluid is developed. Magnetorheological abrasive flow finishing (MRAFF) process provides better control over rheological properties of abrasive laden magnetorheological finishing medium. Magnetorheological (MR) polishing fluid comprises of carbonyl iron powder and silicon carbide abrasives dispersed in the viscoplastic base of grease and mineral oil; it exhibits change in rheological behaviour in presence of external magnetic field. This smart behaviour of MR-polishing fluid is utilized to precisely control the finishing forces, hence final surface finish. A hydraulically powered experimental setup is designed to study the process characteristics and performance. The setup consists of two MR-polishing fluid cylinders, two hydraulic actuators, electromagnet, fixture and supporting frame. Experiments were conducted on stainless steel workpieces at different magnetic field strength to observe its effect on final surface finish. No measurable change in surface roughness is observed after finishing at zero magnetic field. However, for the same number of cycles the roughness reduces gradually with the increase of magnetic field. This validates the role of rheological behaviour of magnetorheological polishing fluid in performing finishing action.     

Tool edge honing using shear jamming abrasive media

Nature is replete with fascinating landscapes sculpted through interactions with moving fluids. Drawing inspiration from such, this research investigated intriguing mechanisms underlying the novel application of abrasive non-Newtonian media for rounding sharp edges of cutting tools. Through appropriate deformation, these media may be forced to correspond to rapid and reversible variations in viscosity that span several orders of magnitude, which render them particularly suited to this application. The innovative process is demonstrated to be uniquely capable of honing tools of a complex macrogeometry, generating edges that are symmetric/asymmetric and those that comprise a gradient in microgeometry along the edge length.     

基于单颗磨粒切削的CBN铰珩工具磨粒磨损研究

采用单颗磨粒试验方法,以4Cr13不锈钢为修整材料,研究大长径比CBN铰珩工具修整过程中的磨粒磨损特性。试验结果显示:与普通切削相比,超声切削时的平均切削力降低60%～80%,但磨粒在短时间内大块破碎,磨削比严重下降。超声切削时的磨粒?工件接触比在0.6～0.8,磨粒主要处于断续切削过程,其最大切削宽度比普通切削时的增加2.7倍,且磨粒受到的最大瞬时切削力增加。根据点云信息对磨粒进行逆向建模,并对建立的单颗磨粒切削仿真模型的瞬时切削力进行定量分析。仿真结果显示:超声切削时的最大切向力比普通切削时的增加20%以上,且力的波动幅度超过80%。      

Investigation into micro abrasive intermittent jet machining

In the machining of small holes by the conventional micro abrasive jet machining, the colliding abrasives accumulate in the bottom of the hole, preventing the direct impact of successive abrasives onto the workpiece. As a result, the machining efficiency decreases as the machining progresses. This paper introduces a new method of micro abrasive jet machining, called micro abrasive intermittent jet machining (MAIJM), in which there exists a period of time during which no abrasive is injected into the gas stream from the nozzle so that the continuous flow of gas without abrasives from the nozzle could blow away any abrasives that have accumulated in the hole. Empirical models are developed for evaluation of the effect of MAIJM process parameters on the shape of the machined holes by proper design of experiments based on a Taguchi orthogonal array and by multi-variable linear regression. Further experiments are conducted to confirm the validity of the developed statistical model by comparing the model predictions with the experimental results.     

Experimental investigations into abrasive flow machining (AFM)

A new non-traditional finishing process known as abrasive flow machining (AFM) is used to deburr, radius, polish and remove recast layer of components in a wide range of applications. The process is relatively new, although around 2000 machines are in use worldwide. Material is removed from the workpiece by flowing a semisolid visco-elastic/visco-plastic abrasive-laden medium across the surface to be finished. Areas inaccessible to traditional methods, and complex passages, can be finished to high quality by this process. The process embraces a wide range of feasible applications including aerospace, dies and moulds, automotive parts, medical components, etc.In the present work, the effects of different process parameters, such as number of cycles, concentration of abrasive, abrasive mesh size and media flow speed, on material removal and surface finish are studied. The dominant process parameter found is concentration of abrasive, followed by abrasive mesh size, number of cycles, and media flow speed. Experiments are performed with brass and aluminum as work materials. Experimental and theoretical results are compared. The machined surface texture is studied using scanning electron microscopy.     

磨料对磁流变工作液性能及加工效果的影响

本文研究了磁流变工作液中添加磨料种类、含量、粒度对其性能的影响,以及对磁流变效应微砂轮加工效果的影响。结果表明:添加磨料对磁流变效应的影响程度以氧化铈、碳化硅、金刚石、氧化铝的顺序增大,随着添加磨料含量增加、粒度增大,磁流变效应均被削弱。磁流变效应微砂轮加工微沟槽过程中,添加磨料对微砂轮加工性能的影响受到添加磨料对磁流变效应和磁流变效应微砂轮加工性能正反两方面的影响而出现最优加工效果。当磨料含量为3%时沟槽的宽度、深度和材料去除率都达到最大;当磨料粒度为W3.5时,加工沟槽的宽度最大;当磨料粒度为W7时,加工沟槽的深度和材料去除率最大。     

Effects of mixed abrasive grits in slurries on free abrasive machining (FAM) processes

Effects of mixed abrasive grits in slurries on free abrasive machining (FAM) processes are studied using a single-sided lapping machine. Impacts of mixing abrasives on various parameters such as amount of material removed, material removal rate, surface roughness, particle size distribution and relative angular velocity are studied. The material removed is monitored as a function of time. The experimental results suggest that (i) mixing abrasive grits can increase the amount of material removed, (ii) smaller abrasives can directly or indirectly affect the material removal process, (iii) slurries undergo severe grain size transition during lapping, and (iv) the surface roughness did not change significantly under different loading. The results of this study may have profound implication on the FAM processes that practitioners use today because the mixed abrasive grits increase material removal rate and reduce the grain size transition, while rendering similar surface roughness.     

Experimental investigations into forces during magnetorheological fluid based finishing process

Magnetorheological fluid based finishing process is a fine finishing process that has been applied to a large variety of brittle materials, ranging from optical glasses to hard crystals. Under the influence of a magnetic field, the carbonyl iron particles (CIPs) and non-magnetic polishing abrasive particles remove material from the surface being polished. Knowledge of forces acting is important to understand the mechanism of material removal. A dynamometer and virtual instrumentation are used to on-line record the normal force and tangential force acting on the workpiece through the magnetorheological (MR) fluid. A full factorial design of experiments is used to plan the experiments and ANOVA to correlate the forces and process parameters. The selected process parameters (volume concentration of CIPs and abrasives, working gap, and wheel rotation) are varied over a range to measure forces during experimentation. The maximum contribution is made by a working gap on the forces developed on the workpiece surface followed by CIP concentration while the least contribution is noticed by the wheel speed.     

Investigation of the abrasive water jet trajectory curvature inside the kerf

The paper is aimed at the implementation of new findings into the author's theoretical models of the abrasive water jet. Both the theoretical and the experimental works were performed to verify and specify the physical relationships among parameters of abrasive water jets used for cutting, the properties of cut materials and the output parameters of cutting, usually the depth of the cut. The model is based on up-to-date results. The new part of the model was designed to enable the calculation of the angle of the cutting head tilt so that the jet penetrating the material might exit it approximately along the normal to the material surface created at the point of jet axis entry. This model was experimentally verified on several tens of materials and its high reliability and applicability were confirmed on quasi-homogeneous materials.     

Surface characterization of 6H-SiC (0001) substrates in indentation and abrasive machining

Surface characterization of 6H-SiC (0001) substrates in indentation and abrasive machining was carried out to investigate microfracture, residual damage, and surface roughness associated with material removal and surface generation. Brittle versus plastic deformation was studied using Vickers indention and nano-indentation. To characterize the abrasive machining response, the 6H-SiC (0001) substrates were ground using diamond wheels with grit sizes of 25, 15 and 7 μm, and then polished with diamond suspensions of 3 and 0.05 μm. It is found that in indentation, there was a scale effect for brittle versus plastic deformation in 6H-SiC substrates. Also, in grinding, the scales of fracture and surface roughness of the substrates decreased with a decrease in diamond grit size. However, in polishing, a reduction in grit size of diamond suspensions gave no significant improvement in surface roughness. Furthermore, the results showed that fracture-free 6H-SiC (0001) surfaces were generated in polishing with the existence of the residual crystal defects, which were associated with the origin of defects in single crystal growth.     

Hybrid polishing mechanism of single crystal SiC using mixed abrasive slurry (MAS)

Single crystal SiC is a mechanically hard and chemically inert material used in optical and power devices. This work proposes the development of a hybrid polishing technique using a mixed abrasive slurry (MAS) with colloidal silica and nano-diamond. Hybrid removal mechanism of the MAS on the SiC is investigated by polishing results, chemical analyses and AFM studies. Each role of two abrasives is distinguished by scratching tests with AFM contact mode on the chemically reacted SiC surface. Finally, this paper provides an optimum MAS condition to realize highly efficient material removal rate (MRR) keeping defect-free surface.     

钢轨砂带打磨残余应力的试验与仿真研究

为直观了解钢轨砂带打磨后钢轨表面的残余应力状态，在磨削试验台上开展磨削工艺参数对残余应力影响的试验研究，采用便携式残余应力仪测量磨后轨面中线轨向残余应力。结果表明:打磨后轨面在磨削方向产生了拉伸残余应力，大小在100～300 MPa；而径向残余应力则主要以压应力形式存在，大小在0～-250 MPa。为研究残余应力形成过程中影响因素的作用机理，进行基于热力耦合的单磨粒划擦三维有限元仿真分析，揭示摩擦系数、切入深度和切削速度对钢轨表层残余应力分布的影响规律并分析其机理成因。最后，根据试验和仿真结果建议打磨列车的末端打磨单元采用开式打磨，砂带要求磨粒粒度小、自锐性强，磨削工艺优选低压、低速，并增设水介质冷却与润滑。      

Experimental investigation into cutting forces and active grain density during abrasive flow machining

It is important to know cutting force components and active grain density during abrasive flow machining (AFM) as this information could be used to evaluate the mechanism involved in AFM. The results show that cutting force components and active grain density govern the surface roughness produced during AFM process. In this paper, an attempt has been made to study the influence of these two parameters, namely cutting force and active grain density, on the surface roughness. This study will help in developing a more realistic theoretical model.The present paper highlights a suitable two-component disc dynamometer for measuring axial and radial force components during AFM. The influence of three controllable variables (extrusion pressure, abrasive concentration and grain size) on the responses (material removal, reduction in surface roughness (R_a value), cutting forces and active grain density) are studied. The preliminary experiments are conducted to select the ranges of variables by using single-factor experimental technique. Five levels for abrasive concentration and six levels for extrusion pressure and abrasive grain size were used. A statistical 2³ full factorial experimental technique is used to find out the main effect, interaction effect and contribution of each variable to the machined workpiece surface roughness. The machined surface textures are studied using a scanning electron microscope.     

Simulation for the prediction of surface roughness in magnetic abrasive flow finishing (MAFF)

The final machining (or finishing) of precision parts with high level of surface finish and close tolerance is making the application of magnetic abrasive finishing technology increasingly important. Magnetic abrasive flow finishing (MAFF) is a new abrasive finishing process combining the features of abrasive flow finishing (AFF) and magnetic abrasive finishing (MAF). MAFF provides a high level of surface finish and close tolerances for wide range of industrial application. This paper focuses on the modeling and simulation for the prediction of surface roughness on the workpiece surface finished by MAFF process. A finite element model is developed to find the magnetic potential distribution in the magnetic abrasive brush formed during finishing action and then it is used to evaluate machining pressure, surface finish and material removal. The simulation results are compared with the experimental results available in the literature. The simulated workpiece surface roughness shows features similar in nature to the experimental results.     

Rotational abrasive flow finishing (R-AFF) process and its effects on finished surface topography

The present study focus on abrasive flow finishing (AFF), a process that finishes complex internal and external geometries with the help of viscoelastic abrasive medium, while keeping in mind its low finish and material removal rates (MRR). Researchers have often strived to improve finishing rate and MRR. As an attempt to overcome the said limitations, this paper discusses rotational abrasive flow finishing (R-AFF) process wherein complete tooling is externally rotated and the medium reciprocates with the help of hydraulic actuators. In this study, preliminary experiments are conducted on Al alloy and Al alloy/SiC metal matrix composites (MMCs) at different extrusion pressures, and medium compositions are employed for finding optimum conditions of the same for higher change in roughness (ΔR_a). The same optimum conditions are used to study the effect of workpiece rotational speed on (ΔR_a), material removal (MR), change in workpiece hardness and surface topology. It is noted that as the workpiece rotational speed increases from 2 to 10 RPM, the experimental helix angle decreases from 22° to 9° and the helical path length increases from 67 to 160 mm. Based on these findings the mechanism of material removal of matrix and reinforcement in MMC using R-AFF have been proposed. Here the matrix material is removed by micro-cutting and three methods of material removal mechanisms for reinforcement are also explained. The scientific logic behind finishing mechanism of matrix and reinforcement, cross hatch patterns, helical path directions, micro-scratch (μ-scratch) width and depth variation with size, orientation and support that active abrasive grain obtains from neighboring abrasives is derived from scanning electron microscopy micrographs. Finally this study establishes that R-AFF can produce 44% better ΔR_a and 81.8% more MR compared to the AFF process. Accordingly, R-AFF generates micro cross hatch pattern on the finished surface that can improve lubricant holding capabilities.     

航发钛合金叶片金刚石砂带磨削的磨粒磨损研究

金刚石砂带精密磨削航空发动机钛合金叶片时,砂带磨损对加工精度及表面质量一致性影响很大。针对这一问题,利用ABAQUS软件开展单颗磨粒磨削过程仿真研究,进而进行航发钛合金叶片金刚石砂带磨削试验。仿真及试验结果表明:在磨削速度为10～20 m/s时,摩擦接触点的温度达700 K以上,且随磨削速度的增大而升高;砂带磨损程度随磨削速度的增大而升高,与磨削速度对摩擦接触点磨削温度的影响规律一致。M10/20金刚石砂带的磨损形式为磨粒损耗和磨粒脱落,磨屑的黏结加剧了砂带的磨损。      

Investigation into electrorheological fluid-assisted polishing

Electrorheological fluid (ER fluid) is a functional fluid with the property that its viscosity can vary with the applied electric field strength. This paper investigates a polishing method using the electrorheological fluid, known as ER fluid-assisted polishing, for the finishing of micro dies of tungsten carbide alloy, which are used for the mass production of micro aspheric glass lens. The machining principle of the ER fluid-assisted polishing is introduced. By proper design of experiments based on a Taguchi orthogonal array and by multi-variable linear regression, empirical models are developed for evaluation of the effect of the process parameters on the material removal depth and surface roughness obtained in the ER fluid-assisted polishing. Further experiments are conducted to confirm the validity of the developed statistical model by comparing the model predictions with the experimental results and meanwhile the influences of the process parameters on the polishing performance are revealed.     

Investigation into laser shock processing

Laser shock processing is a good candidate for surface industry due to its rapid processing, localized ablation, and precision of operation. In the current study, laser shock processing of steel was considered. The numerical solutions for temperature rise and recoil pressure development across the interface of the ablating front and solid are presented. The propagation of elastic-plastic waves in the solid due to recoil pressure loading at the surface is analyzed and numerical solution for the wave propagation was obtained. An experiment was conducted to ablate the steel surfaces for shock processing. Scanning electron microscopy was carried out to examine the ablated surfaces shock processing while transmission electron microscopy was conducted to obtain dislocation densities after the shock processing. It was found that surface hardness of the workpiece increased in the order of 1.8 times of the base material hardness, and the dislocation was the main source of the shock hardening in the region affected by laser shock processing.