State-of-the-art in experimental and numerical modeling of surface characterization of components in mass finishing process

Abstract

Mass finishing is a surface finishing process in which metallic components are processed in a circulatory flow of loose abrasive particles or media to improve the surface properties through abrasive contact. The mass finishing process is influenced by various input process parameters that affect the surface roughness of the component. In this work, we conducted a review of previous studies on mass finishing processes to study the effect of various input process parameters involved in mass finishing. Based on the literature study, the effect of component orientation, media shape, and lubricant concentration on the roughness characteristics of the finished component is investigated by experiments followed by numerical modeling analysis. The analysis revealed that the influence of process parameters in mass finishing depends on the type of media used for the finishing process. The effect of lubricant concentration can result in better polishing of the surface using cylindrical media, while the same effect can be achieved by regulating the component orientation in the case of conical media.