Abrasive flow finishing for surface roughness improvement of aluminum propeller: A case study

Abstract

The manufacturing of a precise complex component is concerned with the most critical phase of final finishing operation. Most of the traditional finishing process has limitations, while addressing challenges with finishing inaccessible, intricate, complex shape components need to be addressed with non-traditional finishing methods. Abrasive flow finishing machine (AFFM) one of the non-traditional finishing technique is well known for the polishing, deburring, radiusing and induce compressive residual stress. The current work investigates on surface roughness improvement through Abrasive flow finishing process of aluminum (6061-T6) propeller for a strategic application. The proper AFFM fixturing for the aluminum propeller component is designed and fabricated. Experimentation is conducted with abrasive flow finishing machine (AFFM-150D) using visco-elastic abrasive polymer media prepared through two roll mixer machine. An attempt is made to characterize the visco-elastic abrasive polymer media and surface roughness on the propeller blade surfaces at different stages of the AFFM process.