Title: An ultra-precision polishing technique using high-velocity abrasive fluid

Authors: Yongbo Wu, Tsunemoto Kuriyagawa

Addresses: Department of Machine Intelligence and Systems Engineering, Akita Prefectural University, 84-4 Tsuchiya-ebinokuchi, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0055, Japan. ' Department of Nanomechanics, School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Aramaki-aoba 6-6-01, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8579, Japan

Abstract: This paper deals with a newly developed method of high-velocity fluid polishing using an ultra fine abrasive wheel. In the first part of this process, the workpiece is ground by a wheel; then the wheel is drawn back for a few µm and the ground surface is polished with a fine abrasive polishing fluid that flows at a high velocity between the wheel and the workpiece. In the conventional finishing process of optical and electrical components such as lenses and mirrors, some complicated processes including grinding and polishing are required. With the new method, the workpiece is finished successively by grinding and polishing on the same machine using the same polishing tool (wheel). In this work, an experimental system capable of successively grinding and polishing an optical component on the same machine was established, and experiments involving optical glass specimens were conducted in order to examine the proposed new method. The experimental results indicated that the workpiece was finished precisely and efficiently with an optimal surface roughness of 9 nm Ra after polishing.

Keywords: loose abrasive machining; ultra-precision polishing; high velocity fluids; surface roughness; ultra-fine abrasive wheels; optical components; optical glass.

DOI: 10.1504/IJAT.2007.015380

International Journal of Abrasive Technology, 2007 Vol.1 No.2, pp.151 - 160

Published online: 12 Oct 2007 *

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