Effects of abrasive types on the surface integrity of abrasive-flow-machined surfaces

In this article, the effect of abrasive types on the abrasive flow machining process was investigated. Four groups of abrasive media were prepared with different types of abrasives: SiC, AL(2)O(3), B4C and Garnet. An experimental study was performed on DIN 1.2379 tool steel. The specimens were cut using wire electrical discharge machining and finished with the abrasive flow machining process. The results show that the white layer that formed during wire electrical discharge machining was successfully removed by abrasive flow machining in a few cycles. Although the surface roughness improves with similar trends for all media groups, the results show that the media prepared with B4C and SiC have more surface improvement than the Al2O3 and Garnet ones. The resulting average surface roughness (R-a) values are comparable to the surface quality of those obtained from lapping and super-finishing. The material removal is directly related to the hardness of the abrasive.