MAGNETIC ABRASIVE FINISHING PROCESS — A PARAMETRIC ANALYSIS

Abstract

Magnetic Abrasive Finishing (MAF) is one of the non-conventional finishing processes, which produces a high level of surface quality and is primarily controlled by magnetic field. In MAF, workpiece is kept between the two poles (N and S) of a magnet. The working gap between the workpiece and the magnet is filled with magnetic abrasive particles. A magnetic abrasive flexible brush (MAFB) is formed, acting as a multipoint cutting tool, due to the effect of magnetic field in the working gap. This paper deals with theoretical investigations of the plane MAF process to know the effect of the process parameters on the surface quality produced. The magnetic field is simulated using finite element model of the process. The magnetic field is also measured experimentally to validate the theoretical results. A series of numerical experiments are performed using the finite element and surface roughness models of the process to study the effect of flux density, height of working gap, size of magnetic abrasive particles and slots (size and location) in the magnetic pole on the surface quality. Based on the results, it is concluded that surface roughness value (R max ) of the workpiece decreases with increase in flux density and size of magnetic abrasive particles. Surface roughness value (R max ) decreases with decrease in working gap. R max value also decreases when the magnet has a slot as compared to the magnet having no slot. Present study would help in understanding the effect of the various parameters on surface roughness value without doing a number of real-life experiments.