Experimental Investigation and Optimization of Process Parameters of Al/SiC MMCs Finished by Abrasive Flow Machining

Abstract

In the era of nontraditional finishing processes, it is of upmost importance that these processes can be applied to composite materials as these have replaced traditional materials in many applications. Abrasive Flow Machining (AFM) is an advanced finishing process. Composite materials have replaced traditional materials as their properties such as light weight, high strength, and good economy are of great benefit. In the literature, work has been reported on AFM of materials such as aluminum, brass, and EN8. In the present work, composite materials with a high percentage of SiC (e.g., 20–60% SiC in Al/SiC composites) were machined using abrasive flow finishing. The Taguchi method was applied to find the effect of input parameters on material removal rate (MRR), change in surface roughness (ΔRa), and surface topography, and L27 array was designed for experimentation. It was observed that extrusion pressure is the most significant factor in regard to MRR and ΔRa. Optimization of response parameters (MRR and ΔRa) was determined using the Taguchi method. Microstructure analysis was also done for workpiece materials using SEM and XRD.