ABRASIVE FLOW MACHINING (AFM) DEBURRS, POLISHES AND RADIUSES SURFACES AND EDGES BY FLOWING AN ABRASIVE MEDIA OVER THESE AREAS. THE PROCESS IS PARTICULARLY USED ON INTERNAL SHAPES WHICH ARE DIFFICULT TO PROCESS BY OTHER MACHINING TECHNIQUES, INCLUDING SMALL ORIFICES. THE MACHINE CONTROLS THE EXTRUSION PRESSURE AND THE FLOW VOLUME AND SPEED. SINCE ABRASIVE ACTION OCCURS ONLY IN AREAS WHERE THE FLOW IS MOST RESTRICTED, TOOLING OFTEN IS USED TO DIRECT THE MEDIA TO THE APPROPRIATE AREAS. A VARIETY OF FINISHING RESULTS CAN BE ACHIEVED WITH DIFFERENT ABRASIVE TYPES, SIZES, CONCENTRATIONS, AND MEDIA VISCOSITIES. THE AFM PROCESS CAN BE USED IN A WIDE RANGE OF FINISHING OPERATIONS. IT CAN PROCESS MANY AREAS ON A SINGLE WORKPIECE OR MULTIPLE PARTS SIMULTANEOUSLY. INACCESSIBLE AREAS AND COMPLEX INTERNAL PASSAGES CAN BE FINISHED ECONOMICALLY AND PRODUCTIVELY. AUTOMATIC AFM SYSTEMS CAN HANDLE THOUSAN
| Number of Pages : | 16 |
| Published : | 06/01/1991 |
