Influence of wall-slip on material removal in abrasive flow machining

Abrasive flow machining (AFM) process, as a widely known technique for finishing internal surfaces of complex parts, can significantly improve the performance and reliability of components in numerous industries. Prediction of material removal rate (MRR) is a vital task in AFM process because it significantly affects the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the process. In-depth studies about the influence of input parameters on material removal in AFM process, however, are limited. In this paper, the mechanism of material removal was investigated, and a MRR modelling was then established in which viscoelastic extrusion modelling with wall slip conditions was employed in AFM process. A novel fixture with gradient shear flow channel was designed. MRR obtained by simulations and experiment showed a reasonable agreement. Finally, parameters, including abrasive media pressure, velocity and shape geometry of flow channel, were identified as key factors affecting MRR in AFM process. Established computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis and MRR modelling can be a powerful tool to determine MRR in future AFM process.