Experimental investigations into magnetic-assisted vacuumized abrasive finishing setup for finishing internal surfaces

The surface quality of manufactured components is a primary concern for the current industries, as poor surface finishes can lead to various issues during the component's operation and lifespan. Nonconventional finishing technologies, with or without magnetic field assistance, play a crucial role in attaining micron-level surface finishes. The present research focuses on the fabrication of a magnetic-assisted vacuum abrasive finishing (MAVAF) setup, aimed at improving the surface finish of automobile engine coupler components. A novel magnetic-assisted self-deformable abrasive finishing (MASDAF) media was synthesized, utilizing marble waste as a base material, paraffin oil and grease as additives, and silicon carbide and iron powder as abrasive particles. The MASDAF media was characterized for its viscosity and rheological behavior and the best composition of MASDAF was selected for use in the MAVAF process. The results reveal that the percentage improvement in the change of average surface roughness value (Delta Ra) decreased with an increase in abrasive mesh size. However, the impact of abrasive concentration on Delta Ra showed mixed effects, with Delta Ra initially increasing with increasing abrasive concentration, before declining with further increases in concentration.