Simulation and experimental investigation of material removal profile based on ultrasonic vibration polishing of K9 optical glass

Ultrasonic vibration polishing (UVP) is an important method for the precision processing of optical glass, which is good for improving surface quality and processing efficiency. So far, the material removal mechanism in UVP is not well understood and the various process parameters involved are not considered. To achieve ultra-precision polishing under optical glass, this paper carries out the axial UVP method. The material removal profile (MRP) is critical to affect the surface accuracy. A new MRP is developed for UVP based on the Urick attenuation model and the proposed material removal coefficient distribution function, considering the dynamic pressure changes under ultrasonic vibration, the attenuation effect of the acoustic pressure propagation process and the inhomogeneous distribution of the abrasive particles in the contact area during the ultrasonic electro-spindle rotation. Through a series of polishing experiments and simulations, the results show that the maximum errors of the actual material removal depth (MRD) and the actual material removal rate (MRR) from the model simulation results are 8.54% and 9.92%, respectively. The accuracy of the model is further demonstrated by the Pearson correlation coefficient. When the amplitude of UVP is 9μm, Sa and Ra are 60 nm and 68 nm, which are reduced by 37.50% and 22.73%, respectively, compared with conventional polishing. This research can contribute to the deterministic processing of UVP, and provide a theoretical basis for the application of optical glass.