The rheological and honing characteristics of polyborosiloxane/grit mixtures.

Abrasive Flow Machining, (AFM), is a non-traditional machining process that is achieved by extruding polyborosiloxane, (a viscoelastic polymer), containing abrasive grit additions, across surfaces, edges, and through component cavities. The AFM process is a complex one and its machining mechanism is still only partially understood since previous research into the process has mainly been limited to qualitative study. The present work undertook to investigate the relationship between the rheological characteristics of polyborosiloxane/grit mixtures and the associated machining parameters. A significant increase in the quantitative data available with respect to both the rheological and machining characteristics of these mixtures has been provided as a consequence of the investigations.

Experiments were conducted using low viscosity, (LV), medium viscosity, (MV), and high viscosity, (HV), polyborosiloxane base media, in conjunction with silicon carbide abrasive grit of 60 and 100 Mesh size; the ratios of grit to base polymer utilised in the experiments were 0,1, and 2. The test pieces used in the experimental work were mild steel dies having a diameter of 15mm and a length of 1 5mm, and the equipment used to conduct the experiments was an Extrude Hone mark 7A machine.

The investigations conducted have revealed that for all polymer/grit mixtures an increase in the number of extrusion cycles results in an increase in the stock removed, an improvement in the surface roughness, and an increase in the temperature of the mixture. Furthermore as the usage of the medium increases the grit particle wear increases so that there is a corresponding decrease in the machining parameters.

For all mixtures there appears to be no correlation between the viscosities of the base media types and the machining parameters. However, a relationship is demonstrated between the machining parameters and variations in the viscosities of the grit/polymer mixtures based on a specific polymer base. The factors that appear to influence this relationship are the grit to polymer ratio, the grit size, and the temperature. The most important of these parameters are suggested to be the grit to polymer ratio and temperature since these variables appear to affect the viscosity behaviour and the associated machining parameters.

In addition the investigations showed that the viscosities and associated rheological dependent parameters correspond to the qualitative viscosity nomenclature given to the different media types by the manufacturer. A shear history effect is also exhibited in each of the polymer types.