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    Abrasive Flow Machining (AFM)

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    Abhishek Kumar
    AFM is an abrasive finishing process developed in the 1960s that uses abrasive media flowing through parts to polish, deburr, and radius surfaces. It can produce surface finishes as smooth as 0.05 μm and is widely used to finish complex internal geometries. AFM provides uniform, repeatable results and can simultaneously finish multiple surfaces. It offers advantages over manual methods by accessing hard to reach areas faster. Applications include aerospace components, medical implants, and automotive parts to improve surfaces, reduce friction, and eliminate imperfections.

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    Abrasive Flow Machining (AFM)

    Uploaded by

    Abhishek Kumar
    297 views21 pages
    AFM is an abrasive finishing process developed in the 1960s that uses abrasive media flowing through parts to polish, deburr, and radius surfaces. It can produce surface finishes as smooth as 0.05 μm and is widely used to finish complex internal geometries. AFM provides uniform, repeatable results and can simultaneously finish multiple surfaces. It offers advantages over manual methods by accessing hard to reach areas faster. Applications include aerospace components, medical implants, and automotive parts to improve surfaces, reduce friction, and eliminate imperfections.

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    Afm

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    Afm

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    AFM is an abrasive finishing process developed in the 1960s that uses abrasive media flowing through parts to polish, deburr, and radius surfaces. It can produce surface finishes as smooth as 0.05 μm and is widely used to finish complex internal geometries. AFM provides uniform, repeatable results and can simultaneously finish multiple surfaces. It offers advantages over manual methods by accessing hard to reach areas faster. Applications include aerospace components, medical implants, and automotive parts to improve surfaces, reduce friction, and eliminate imperfections.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    297 views21 pages

    Abrasive Flow Machining (AFM)

    Uploaded by

    Abhishek Kumar
    AFM is an abrasive finishing process developed in the 1960s that uses abrasive media flowing through parts to polish, deburr, and radius surfaces. It can produce surface finishes as smooth as 0.05 μm and is widely used to finish complex internal geometries. AFM provides uniform, repeatable results and can simultaneously finish multiple surfaces. It offers advantages over manual methods by accessing hard to reach areas faster. Applications include aerospace components, medical implants, and automotive parts to improve surfaces, reduce friction, and eliminate imperfections.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    of 21

    ABRASIVE

    FLOW
    MACHINING
    (AFM)
    What is AFM ?
    Developed method in 1960s, by Extrude Hone Corporation
    AFM can
    Polish and deburr parts internally
    Through holes
    Intersecting holes
    Calibrate fuel injection nozzles to a specific flow rate
    A method to radius difficult to reach surfaces like intricate geometries
    Produce surface finish (Ra) as good as 0.05 μm deburr holes as small as 0.2 mm
    radius edges from 0.025 mm to 1.5 mm
    Widely used finishing process to finish complicated shapes and profiles

    2
    Why a Smooth Surface?

    Reduction in Friction
    Aerospace

    Torque and Fuel Economy


    Engine

    Eliminate imperfection
    Medicine

    3
    Classification of AFM Machine
    One-way AFM

    One-way flow AFM


    processing pushes
    abrasive media
    through the work
    piece in only one
    direction, allowing
    the media to exit
    freely from the part.

    4
    The advantages of One-Way AFM

    Faster cycle processing


    Easy clean-up
    Media temperature control generally not required
    Able to process larger parts
    Simpler tooling and part change-over
    Accurately replicates air or liquids natural flow

    5
    Two-way AFM
    The typical two-way flow AFM
    process uses two vertically
    opposed cylinders to extrude
    an abrasive media back and
    forth through or around
    passages formed by the
    workpiece and tooling.
    Abrasive action occurs
    wherever the media enters
    and passes through the most
    restrictive passages

    6
    Advantages of Two-Way AFM

    Excellent process control


    Can finish both ID and OD of component
    Good control of radius generation
    Fully automated system capabilities
    Faster setup & quick-change tooling
    Faster change-over of media
    7
    Key Components of AFM Process
    Machine : One –way AFM, Two-way AFM,

    Tooling: Work piece - Drill bit – Fixture plate


    - Fixture - Piston - Cylinder

    Abrasive medium: The medium that is


    needed to be polished,
    deburred or finished.
    8
    Types of abrasives

    Al2O3, SiC, Cubic boron nitrade (CBN),


    diamond dust

    Constituents: Base (Organic polymer and


    hydrocarbon gel+ abrasive grits

    9
    Process Input Parameters of AFM

    Extrusion Pressure
    Number of cycles
    Grit composition and Type
    Tooling
    Fixture design

    10
    Operating range of AFM
    Easy flow ability
    Better self deformability
    Fine abrading capability
    Layer thickness of material removed is, order of about 1μm
    to 10 μm
    Best surface finish that has been achieved as 50nm and
    tolerances +/- 0.5 μm

    11
    Properties of AFM
    Deburring , radiusing, and polishing are performed
    simultaneously in a single operation
    AFM can produce true round radii even on complex edges
    Reduces surface roughness by 75 to 90 % on cast and
    machined surfaces
    AFM can process dozens of holes or multiple passages parts
    simultaneously with uniform results

    12
    Application of AFM
    Automotive
    Aerospace
    Medicine
    Dies and Moulds

    13
    AFM in Aerospace Industry
    Improved surface quality
    Enhanced high cycle fatigue strength
    Optimized combustion and hydraulics
    Increased airflow
    Extended component life

    Before After

    14
    AFM in Automotive Industry
    Enhanced uniformity and surface
    quality of finished components
    Before
    Increased engine performance
    Increased flow velocity and
    volume
    Improved fuel economy and
    reduced Emissions
    Extended work piece life by
    After reducing wear and stress
    surfaces
    15
    AFM in Dies and mold Industry
    Reduced production costs
    Increased production throughput
    Enhanced surface uniformity, finish and cleanliness
    Improved die performance and extend life of dies and molds

    16
    AFM in Medical Industry
    Eliminate the surface imperfections where dangerous contaminates can
    reside
    Improved functionality, durability and reliability of medical components
    Enhanced uniformity and cleanliness of surfaces,
    Extended component life

    Figure: Medical implant

    17
    AFM Advantages

    •Inaccessible areas can be easily finished


    •The finishing rate is much faster than manual methods of
    finishing
    •The polishing and de-burring operations can be combined in
    one stage.
    •High surface finishes with tight tolerances are possible

    18
    AFM Disadvantages

    •Costly Process: Requires high capital investment.


    •The cost of media is very high and is unusable after the
    process.
    •The work-holding fixture is at times expensive
    •Processing of blind holes is difficult.

    19
    AFM Applications

    •The process was initially developed for effective de-burring of hydraulic control
    blocks. Later on, the field of applications got rapidly diversified into defense,
    medical and manufacturing units.
    •The inaccessible areas in components that are very difficult to finish with
    traditional methods can be easily finish machined by AFM process with up to 90 %
    improvement in it with respect to the original accuracy.
    •The typical applications of AFM are in improving airfoil surfaces of compressor
    and turbine components, edge finishing of holes and attachment features,
    improvement in fatigue strength of blades, disks, hubs and shafts with uniform
    polishing on its edges.
    •The adjustment of air flow resistance in blades, vanes, combustion liners, nozzles
    and diffusers, finishing of fuel spray nozzles, fuel control bodies, bearing
    components, reworking the components to remove coke and carbon deposits and
    to improve its surface integrity.
    20
    Summary
    Possible to control and select the intensity and location of abrasion
    Produces uniform, repeatable and predictable results on an impressive range of
    finishing operations.
    Maintain flexibility and jobs which require hours of highly skilled hand polishing
    can be processed in a few minutes
    Process used in aerospace, medical and automobile industries
    Better surface roughness values and tight tolerances.
    Disadvantage of this process is low finishing rate
    Better performance is achieved if the process is monitored online.
    Improve surface quality
    Reduction in Friction
    Eliminate imperfection 21

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