Modeling of material removal mechanism in vibratory finishing process

In industry today, the use of vibratory finishing processes as a final manufacturing step is increasing rapidly. Through the ability of these processes to achieve stable material removal rates, very consistent results in the control of surface texture are achieved. Even though the importance of these processes to manufacturing industry is increasing, the fundamentals of the material removal mechanism have not yet been established, and the associated lack of scientific understanding is an obstacle for process optimization. This paper proposes a mathematical model of the material removal mechanism based on abrasive finishing theory. The proposed model is used to identify key parameters and analyze their effect on the material removal mechanism. Experimental tests were conducted to validate the proposed model and provide correlation with the results obtained from the theoretical analysis. For the first time, fundamental abrasive machining process parameters such as the equivalent chip thickness and specific cutting energy realized through vibratory finishing are revealed.