Parametric modeling of tooling: Workpiece interaction with engineered abrasives

Abrasive processes are some of the most important operations employed in manufacturing to remove unwanted material and introduce desired geometry and surface finish. However, some of the difficulties encountered when trying to model abrasive process are related to a multi-point of contact tooling composed of extremely hard and brittle particles which geometry, shape and distribution are unknown. With the introduction of engineered abrasives to the market over the past few years, the opportunity to drastically improve the quality and consistency of abrasive machining now exists. One of the main benefits of engineered abrasives is the ability to control the abrasive grit properties i.e. size, shape, distribution and composition. The objective of this study was to develop a parametric model of the engineered abrasives that allows for studying the interaction of this particular tooling with various surfaces. This would also allow for prediction of surface roughness from a given tool-workpiece pair. The development of this model, the analysis of the tool-workpiece interaction, and the algorithms for surface generation are carried out using a computer model developed for each specific purpose. Additionally, experimental validation of this model is presented. It was found that the machined surface improves as the depth of indentation increases, but beyond a certain level the surface roughness obtained becomes asymptotic. It is observed that machining at 30 attack angle results in the smoothest surface and that increasing the number of abrasive grits beyond a certain number does not yield better surface. Contributions of this project include suggestions for new tooling geometry for abrasive manufacturing and optimization of machining parameters for efficient operations along with a simulation tool for a better understanding of the abrasive machining process