Title: Parametric study of micro machining with instantaneous tiny-grinding wheel based on the magnetorheological effect of abrasive slurry

Authors: J.B. Lu, Q.S. Yan, J. Yu, W.Q. Gao

Addresses: Faculty of Electromechanical Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510090, P.R. China. ' Faculty of Electromechanical Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510090, P.R. China. ' Faculty of Electromechanical Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510090, P.R. China. ' Faculty of Electromechanical Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510090, P.R. China

Abstract: Based on the MagnetoRheological (MR) effect of abrasive slurry, the particle-dispersed MR fluid is used as a special instantaneous bond to cohere abrasive particles and magnetic particles so as to form a dynamical, flexible tiny-grinding wheel to polish optical glass, ceramic and other brittle materials of millimeter or sub-millimeter scale with a high efficiency. In this paper, experiments were conducted to reveal the effects of process parameters on the machining characteristics of glass surface. Experimental results indicate that the material removal process is dominated by the synergy of the applied pressure and the relative velocity between the abrasives and the polishing workpiece and that the performance of the tiny-grinding wheel depends on the proportion of diamond abrasives dispersed in the MR fluid and the machining gap between the workpiece and the needle-like tool. Furthermore, the material removal mechanisms are described.

Keywords: surface finishing; magnetorheological fluids; material removal rate; micromachining; tiny grinding wheels; abrasive slurry; glass polishing; brittle materials; process parameters; diamond abrasives.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMPT.2008.015902

International Journal of Materials and Product Technology, 2008 Vol.31 No.1, pp.113 - 124

Published online: 02 Dec 2007 *

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