Rolling model analysis of material removal in elastic emission machining

Elastic emission machining (EEM) is one of the most effective technologies for obtaining ultra-smooth surface. The polishing particle is supplied to a specific position on the workpiece surface by the polishing wheel and chemically reacts with the workpiece to realize non-destructive material removal. However, the interaction between polishing wheel and slurry, as well as the mechanism of atom removal remain unclear. In this study, the mutual dynamic interaction between the polishing wheel and slurry is considered in a three-dimensional state, and a rolling model is developed to analyse the energy transfer during atom removal process. The movement of the fluid and particles is calculated using computational fluid dynamics, and the energy required for atom removal is calculated based on molecular dynamics simulation. The effectiveness of the rolling model is verified by comparing with the material removal profile obtained from the experiments and the rolling model. The rolling model explains how the particle can break the back bond of atom on the workpiece surface to achieve material removal. The study findings suggest that the energy required for atom removal is primarily supplied by the fluid. This understanding of the energy source provides valuable insights for proposing methods to enhance the material removal rate. Finally, in the surface polishing experiment, the use of the EEM results in the achievement of an ultra-smooth surface with roughness of 0.1 nm root-mean-square, demonstrating the excellent ability of EEM to effectively reduce surface roughness.