Experimental Study on Abrasive Flow Machining (AFM): New Approach for Investigation on Nano-SiC in the Improvement of Material Removal and Surface Finishing

Abstract

The latest improvement in the usage of good strength, hard, and high-temperature-resistant materials in manufacturing required the advancement of modern machining methods. The AFM (abrasive flow machining) is a non-conventional finishing technique within which an abrasive viscoelastic polymer is pressed around the surface area of the workpiece. An AFM experimental arrangement is manufactured and designed along with highly generated media in order to finish the internal cylindrical surface areas of Al7075/SiC NMMCs. Work pieces are made by means of lathe operation soon after stir casting metal matrix nanocomposites, 25 mm diameter crossbar of 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% nano-SiC (50 nm) by weight. The effect of abrasive flow machining process parameters, namely, extrusion pressure, abrasive mesh size, and the number of cycles on surface roughness (ΔRa) and material removal (MR) was evaluated. The mechanical properties such as hardness, tensile strength, and density are calculated. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM), OM, EDS, and XRD analysis additionally show the enhancement in the surface finish of these NMMCs.