Corrective polishing of complex ceramics geometries

High quality surfaces in terms of low roughness and high form accuracy are achieved by polishing as the essential finishing step. Polishing of brittle materials is an established process in science and industry. However, the machining is limited to planar or spherical geometries. The objective of this paper is to present first results to overcome this limitations indicated by processing advanced ceramics.In order to finish complex surfaces, a technological transfer of known parameters and conditions of 2-dimensional to zonal polishing is undertaken. To shorten the development of stable and reproducible processes the knowledge and understanding of the complex interactions of the 2-dimensional process is used. The applicability of these conditions is evaluated by extensive research on the zonal polishing setup. The used machine tool is capable of adjusting significant process factors, such as free controlled force and heterodyne velocity profiles. By use of a small tool the material removal is only affecting a zonal area of a complex surface. Based on preliminary investigations concerning the material removal function the scientific insight on zonal processes is extended. This first approach will be used for corrective polishing of zonal form deviations.