Innovations in Different Abrasive Flow Machining Processes: A Review

Abstract

With advent of need for fast productivity in terms of material removal and surface roughness of the workpiece, abrasive flow machining (AFM) process is gaining rapid importance in the industries. In this process, the fine finishing of the internal surfaces is done that are difficult to reach spaces using abrasive laden polymer media. The media is extruded past the surface under high pressure with the help of two sets of extrusion piston cylinder arrangements. In this paper, various innovations done in the field of abrasive flow machining have been studied in detail in a tabulated form. It included the applications of the process and the different variant forms of AFM process. Due to addition of external forces in variant of AFM process, high speed machining is obtained with smoother surface integrity. Hence it can be concluded that this form of non-conventional machining process is efficient both in terms of surface roughness and material removal.