MATERIAL REMOVAL MECHANISMS IN ABRASIVE FLOW MACHINING

Szulczynski, Hubert; Uhlmann, Eckart Institute for Machine Tools and Factory Management Technical University Berlin
ABSTRACT Abrasive flow machining (AFM) is a process for the production of excellent surface qualities of inner profiles that are difficult to access and outside edges, as well as for deburring and edge rounding. The grinding medium used in AFM consists of a polymer fluid, the so-called base, in which the abrasive grains are bound. The grinding medium is pressed along the contours at a defined pressure and temperature. Depending on the respective machining task, different specifications of media are used. The description of process-related metrial removal mechanisms requires the knowledge of material removal mechanisms in AFM. Based on findings in flow mechanism, analyses have been made on material removal mechanisms. The objective of the investigations at the Institute for Machine Tools and Factory Management - IWF in Berlin is to trace correlations capable of influencing the work result.

KEY WORDS: Abrasive, Finishing,Polishing, Matreial Removal.

1. INTRODUCTION. Two American companies independently developed abrasive flow machining in the 60s [1, 2, 3]. Initially, the process was applied in aerospace to machine high-alloy components with inaccessible and complex inner shapes. Abrasive flow machining was initially applied for deburring and polishing operations which until then had to be carried out manually and hence were extremely time-consuming. Another drawback of manual machining was that even if altering the workpiece shape was possible it could not be done reproducibly. A large field of application of abrasive flow machining is finishing in mold and die making. Typical components machined by abrasive flow machining include extrusion molding dies for aluminum profiles as well as crimping and stamping tools. AFM is used to remove the recast layer after EDM and laser machining. In most cases it is possible to use precisely rounded edge radiuses and polished surfaces to increase fatigue strength and life span [2, 4, 10]. The machining traces running in extrusion direction after AFM machining of extrusion molding matrices lead to an increase of the life span and also to a considerable reduction of the friction [3]. To date, only few models exist that describe the functional correlation between the process, the work result and the material removal mechanisms during abrasive flow machining. However, all of these models are based on analytic interpretations of empirical data for specific cases [3]. Therefore, universally valid parameters to describe the process are not available. The knowledge of these rules enables a purposeful process conception, process improvement and process control. Such a process improvement creates the framework for a purposeful and marketoriented technological advancement of the process. The first step towards a target-oriented process optimization is to describe the existing knowledge of the fundamental mechanisms of abrasive flow machining and of the influence of the flow characteristics on the process. Moreover, the results of the rheologic measurements permit conclusions about the homogeneity of polymers, possible fluctuations of their composition and even about the molecular structure [12]. This makes it possible to set up the necessary criteria for the respective application and to use the rheologic properties for a quality assessment of abrasive flow machining media. 2. PROCESS TECHNOLOGY. The grinding medium consists of the components base, abrasive and additives. The base which is also referred to as carrier binds the abrasive. Depending on the respective machining task, the abrasive is supplied with additives to

obtain particular flow properties of the grinding media. The carrier is produced in a variety of intrinsic viscosities. [1 - 9]. Prior to machining, the grinding medium is inserted into the lower cylinder. The workpiece is positioned in the specifically designed workpiece holder and clamped between the cylinder (figure 1a). Initially, the grinding medium is heated up to working temperature by the heater/cooler. After clamping, the grinding medium is pressed upwards into the workpiece holder along the machined workpiece shapes (figure 1b). After that, the process is repeated in the opposite direction (figure 1c). This machining cycle is repeated until the desired work result is obtained.
a) cylinder piston b) c)

workpiece holder

workpiece

cylinder

abrasive medium

piston

Figure 1. Process course during abrasive flow machining. The two main tasks of the workpiece holder are to clamp the workpiece and to control the media flow. During the conception of the device, special attention has to be paid to the requirements of abrasive flow machining in order to minimize frictional loss. When parts with similar shapes or high batch numbers are produced it often occurs that exchangeable inserts are used. This way it is possible to buffer parts and to automatically charge the machine [1, 5]. The basic principle of AFM is that the abrasive and material removing effect of the grinding medium is in direct proportion to the speed of the abrasive. Following this principle, the conception of the workpiece holder determines the position of the highest speed of the grinding medium. The conception of the workpiece holder allows for an arrangement of the surfaces of the workpiece in such a way that there is no removal where machining is not supposed to take place. Often it is necessary to install sleeves, tubes or cores to obtain constant and high flow velocities [3, 7, 10]. The carrier consists of a silicone base polymer which is supplied with a gel consisting of a hydrocarbon oil and a metallic soap. Different intrinsic viscosities of the carrier are obtained by varying the volume percentages of the polymer and the gel [3]. The most frequently used abrasives are aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, boron carbide and cubic boron nitride (cBN) as well as diamond. In the case of conventional abrasives, grain sizes vary from 14 Mesh/inch to 1200 Mesh/inch, whereas it often occurs that two or three different sizes are mixed [3, 7, 8]. When the ultrahard cutting materials cBN and diamond are applied for particular machining tasks, grain sizes of 6 m to 140 m are used [7]. Normally, the composition of the grinding medium includes the base at 100 weight percent. Specifications concerning abrasive grains are given in weight percentage of the base [3]. 30 % to 80 % of abrasives with rougher grains and 10 % to 30 % of abrasives with finer grains are added to the base. P RZYKLENK [7] states the mixture of the polymer base and the grains in volume percentage, according to which it may contain 40 to 250 parts of the abrasive grains and 100 parts of the base material. In the cases of diamond and cBN, 100 parts of the base correspond to 100 to 250 parts of the abrasive grains. The mixture ratio and the proportion of additives depends on the machining task, e.g. deburring or precise polishing. A high viscosity grinding medium works as a relatively elastic mass and enables extremely high material removal

rates during machining. Such a medium is mainly used to deburr of very strong burrs, for remove of recast layers after EDM machining and for the machining of large bore holes with a high diameter/length ratio. Thanks to good flow properties it is possible to machine grooves and orifices of a size of up to 0.1 mm if the viscosities are kept low [2]. In some cases it was even possible to machine bore holes of a size of 0.02 mm with AFM [4]. Grinding media with low viscosities are further used for the precise rounding of edges and for the machining of deep bore holes or bore holes with small diameter/length ratios [6]. 3. SURFACE FORMATION 3.1 Structure and Realization of the Experiment During the experimental investigation of abrasive flow machining, processes occurring at the contact zone can not be directly observed. However, the knowledge of the material removal mechanisms is crucial for the interpretation of the results obtained during machining. The method of sratch test with single diamond grits serves as an example for the machining with fixed grain. In these experiments, conclusions can be drawn from the elementary processes observed in favor of the real machining process. The observations made during the scratching with single diamond grit provide indications of the material removal mechanisms in the contact zone. Therefore, an analogous process to abrasive flow machining was defined, in the course of which the singular engagement of individual abrasive grains on the surface of polished workpieces was generated maintaining the typical bonding of the grains in the fluid. Simple square workpieces were used as test workpieces which were polished on the side to be scratched. They were clamped into the machine by means of a workholding in a way that only the polished side was machined. Subsequently, the working pressure was set and the machining process was started with the medium preheated to working temperature. After activation, the machining process had to be interrupted as soon as the medium on the surface of the workpiece was actively involved in the process. 3.2 Surface Formation Figure 2 depicts scratches of the abrasive grains at different stages of the scratching process. The scratch of the cutting edge in abrasive flow machining is characterized by a continuous scratch on the surface. Alongside cutting processes, elastic and elasto-plastic forming processes take place on the surface.

10 m

10 m

10 m

Figure 2: Surface formation during abrasive flow machining Based on this observation it could be asserted, that due to the sum of the properties of the medium, the abrasive grains come into action on the material as quasi bound cutting edges. Literature often assumed that the sratch of the abrasive grains in abrasive flow machining corresponds to the mechanism involved in lapping. In the course of lapping, the grains are rolling between the surface of the workpiece and the shape-transferring counterpart. This

observation however was not made during scratching tests. In contrast, a continuous engagement of quasi bound cutting edges was observed almost during the entire process. 3.3 The Influence of the Grain Fraction Figure 3 depicts electron microscopic images of the surfaces of the polished workpieces after simple scratching and multiple scratching with two polishing media of different grain fractions. In the course of simple scratching, depicted on the left side of the image, both abrasive medium specifications engender continuous traces on the surface of the workpieces. In the case of a medium of a low grain fraction with the specification D100-20S(125)-NX(3), plastically deformed areas occur on one side of the simple scratch. On the opposite side, the scratch starts at one edge without plastic projection. In contrast, in the case of a medium of high grain fraction, the scratch was considerably wider. Due to the higher grain fraction of the medium with the specification D100-20S(200)-NX(3), it is assumed that the scratching forces in normal direction are much stronger than in the case of a medium specification of a lower grain fraction. With stronger normal forces, a broader chip can be cut off. Contrary to this, in the case of an abrasive medium of a lower grain fraction, the sratches are characterized by relatively smaller and sharper grain ranges. Observations made during scratching of single grains can be transferred to the impact of several edges. On the right side of the image, the respective multiple scratches of each medium are depicted. In the upper image, alongside areas generated by larger grain sizes, there are scratches caused by single sharp edges. The lower image shows that during machining with this medium specification, much more edges are acting at the same time. The surface formed is more homogeneous and is marked by less single, clearly defined scratches.
work piece: working pressure: working termperature: working distance: C45, 20 x 20 mm 22 bar 35 C 9 mm

10 m scratch direction

D100-20S(125)-NX(3)

D100-20S(200)-NX(3)

Figure 3: Influence of grain fraction on surface formation 3.4 The Influence of Additives Figure 4 depicts the scratches generated by different additives of abrasive media. Surface formation during scratching with the abrasive medium with the specification D100-20S(200)-NX(3) at these settings was described in the last section. The images in the middle depict a surface machined with an additive for deburring. In single acting, the grains generate very thin scratches. During multiple scratching too, mainly thin scratches are generated on the

surface of the workpiece. Through the great number of thin scratches generated during machining, surface qualities are lower than after machining with a polishing media. Abrasive media for deburring are not suited for the formation of high surface qualities. Their aim is rather to maximize deburring during turning around a workpiece edge. The adhesive media with the specification D100-20S(125)-400S(30), a mixture of coarse grain F20 and a finegrained additive F400, is applied for machining processes in which a high material removal rate is to be achieved. Due to the relatively strong bonding of the adhesive grains caused by the fine-grained additive, a stronger normal force acts on the adhesive grains. It is assumed that the adhesive grains are thereby pushed much deeper into the surface than in the case of the same medium specification without fine-grained additive.
work piece: working pressure: working termperature: working distance: C45, 20 x 20 mm 22 bar 35 C 9 mm

10 m scratch direction

D100-20S(125)-NX(3)

D100-20S(125)-BT(3)

D100-20S(125)-400S(30)

Figure 4: Influelnce of the grain fraction on surface formation 4. SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK In the course of analogous tests, simple and multiple scratched surfaces were applied for the investigation of material removal mechanisms under varying influencing tool parameters such as grain fraction and additive. On the basis of the scratches, it could be basically stated that during abrasive flow machining the surface is formed by quasi bound abrasive grains. In the case of surfaces formed by abrasive flow machining in several machining cycles, no surface traces referring to rolling grains were generated During the application of polishing media, chip formation is very consistent. The surface is characterized by homogeneous traces and no clear single scratches can be observed. With a growing grain fraction, surface formation is becoming more and more even. In contrast, during scratching with deburring media, single and clearly visible

scratches were observed even after multiple scratching. The additive for deburring provokes chip formation in the area of laminar flow where there are no edges. Based on the combination of the results of surface formation and the flow properties investigated before, a flow model of the process can be created and a qualified tool for process interpretation and for a better comprehension can be considered by means of numerical flow simulation. Furthermore, the correlation of the flow model, the numerical flow simulation and the surface formation will considerably contribute to the comprehension of the process. 5. REFERENCES. 1. 2. BOTTKE, D.: Strmungsschleifen als Alternative. Werkstatt und Betrieb 128 (1995) 4, S. 290. N. N.: Facelifting fr Matrizen. Sekundrpolitur an gebrauchten Werkzeugen. Kunststoff-Journal (1995) 5, S. 54. SPUR, G.; EICHHORN, H.; BOTTKE, D.: Strmungsschleifen - Eine Verfahrensbersicht Industrie Diamanten Rundschau, Band 31 (1997) No. 1, p. 84-88,90-94. KUZMANOVIC, O. R.: Flssige Feile. Strmungsschleifen zur Feinbearbeitung von Bauteiloberflchen. Maschinenmarkt 100 (1994) 16. KUZMANOVIC, O. R.: Strmungsschleifen nach dem Dynaflow-Verfahren. Firmenschrift der Fa. Micro Technica GmbH, Kornwestheim, 1993. N. N.: Strmungsschleifen mit Diamant und CBN Sonderdruck aus: IDR 26 (1992) 2. PRZYKLENK, K.: Druckflielppen - Feinbearbeitung mit Schleifpasten. Jahrbuch Schleifen, Honen, Lppen und Polieren, 55. Ausgabe, Vulcan-Verlag Essen, 1988, S. 441-458. RHOADES, L. J.: Abrasive Flow and Ultrasonic Machining an Polishing, Technical Paper, American Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Dearborn, Michigan, USA, 1995, Paper-no. 95-190, p. 523-541. P ILZ, O.: Entgraten, Abrunden und Polieren durch Prelppen. Werkstatt und Betrieb 114 (1981) 10, S. 739740.

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10. BOTTKE, D.: Applikationen des Verfahrens Prelppen zum Entgraten und Polieren unter besonderer Bercksichtigung der Vorgnge an der Wirkstelle, Dissertation TU Dresden, 1992. 11. DE PLOEG, D. M.: Kostensparendes Prelppen von Strangprematrizen, Aluminium 59 (1983) 3, S. 187-188. 12. SCHRAMM, G.: Einfhrung in Rheologie und Rheometrie, Gebrder Haake GmbH, Karlsruhe, 1995.