Elucidating the Optimal Parameters in Magnetic Finishing with Gel Abrasive

Abstract

Abstract Magnetic finishing with gel abrasives (MFGA) created an excellent efficiency in the polishing process. They were not only easily produced but recycled after machining as well. The silicone gel, which was then chosen as the medium in this study, played a crucial role to locate the abrasion behavior and establish the mechanism of MFGA. In the article, polishing efficiencies with or without silicone gels were identified to finish cylindrical rod first. In addition, temperature in the working area was to verify the relation between the circulation and efficiency. Finally, the Taguchi method was used to elucidate optimal parameters in MFGA process. Results show that the temperature of the gel abrasive on the workpiece exceeded 110°C within 30 min. Such high temperatures will induce new abrasives due to the slow motion of gel in the working area. In the Taguchi method, the 'the smaller the better' role was employed to evaluate surface roughness in MFGA. The signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio shows that concentration of steel grit, machining time, and kinds of abrasive dominate the behaviors of the MFGA process. The results also display that the analytical S/N ratio is very similar to the S/N ratio from experiment. The error between these two results is less than 8%. Keywords: AbrasiveFinishingGelMagneticOptimalSiliconeTaguchi ACKNOWLEDGMENT The authors would like to thank National Science Council of the Republic of China for financially supporting this research under Contract No. NSC 97-2221-E-231-002, and also to thank Mr. M. S. Liao for helping to complete the experiment.