Prediction of surface roughness during abrasive flow machining

An analytical model is proposed to simulate and predict the surface roughness for different machining conditions in abrasive flow machining (AFM). The kinematic analysis is used to model the interaction between grain and workpiece. Fundamental AFM parameters, such as the grain size, grain concentration, active grain density, grain spacing, forces on the grain, initial topography, and initial surface finish (R-a value) of the workpiece are used to describe the grain-workpiece interaction. The AFM process is studied under a systematic variation of grain size, grain concentration and extrusion pressure with initial surface finish of the workpiece. Simulation results show that the proposed model gives results that are consistent with experimental results.