Development of an Internal Magnetic Abrasive Finishing Process for Nonferromagnetic Complex Shaped Tubes.

Abstract

The aim of this study is to develop an internal magnetic abrasive finishing process for nonferromagnetic complex shaped tubes consisting of straight and bent sections, for which it is considered difficult to achieve a uniform fine finish by conventional technologies. This paper presents the finishing principle and the finishing equipment that provides flexible motion of a finishing unit using a robot. The experiments characterize the differences in the finishing mechanism of the straight section from that of the bent section in view of the difference in geometry. The finishing experiments demonstrate a method to produce nearly uniform internal finishing tubes by a single processing iteration as well as the feasibility of flexible internal finishing in an automated system.