SAFBM of Softer Materials: An Investigation into the Micro-Cutting Mechanisms and the Evolution of Roughness Profile

Abstract

Swirling Fluidized Bed Machining (SAFBM) is a nontraditional machining process and novel variant of Fluidized Bed Machining (FBM) in which the former has overcome certain drawbacks of the latter such as roughness variation and shading effect. SAFBM generates significant material removal and surface finish on the workpiece surface during the machining process with consistency and flexibility. The present detailed study emphasizes on the machining of softer materials such as brass and aluminum using abrasive particles such as silicon carbide in order to analyze the effect of various micro-cutting mechanisms on the generation of surface texture. This study examines the evolution of surface roughness profile after progressive machining with abrasives ranging from coarse, medium and fine grades of SiC with the help of optical microscopic images of the machined surface. The research concludes that using SAFBM, flat and uniform surface finishing with modification ratio in terms of roughness parameters ranging from 5 to 7 is possible within 7–8 hours of processing.