Improved analysis model for material removal mechanisms of bonnet polishing incorporating the pad wear effect.

Abstract

Bonnet polishing technology has been widely applied in precision optical machining. Until now, most of the research concerning the modeling for material removal mechanisms of bonnet polishing have been presented based on the well-known Preston model. However, the various parameters involved in the bonnet polishing process are not formulated into that model, such as slurry characteristics, pad properties, bonnet sizes, processing conditions, etc. Recently, several analysis models capturing those various parameters have been developed and are even capable of interpreting non-Prestonian behaviors, but the pad wear effect has still not been taken into account. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to establish an improved analysis model by incorporating the pad wear effect with the cumulative polishing time. Compared with the previous analysis model and Preston model, the predicted results of the improved analysis model are much closer to the experimental data and become more acceptable. According to the analysis of key parameters, the understanding of material removal mechanisms in bonnet polishing is further completed, and the time-dependent pad wear effect should no longer be neglected.