Abrasive Flow Machining
Process Principle, Parameters and
Capabilities
Introduction to AFM
1. Abrasive flow machining (AFM) was developed by Extrude Hone Corporation,
USA in 1960.
2. AFM is used to deburr, radius and polish difficult to reach surfaces by
extruding an abrasive-laden polymer medium with very special rheological
properties.
3. It is widely used finishing process to finish complicated shapes and profiles.
4. The polymer abrasive medium which is used in this process, possesses easy
flow ability, better self deformability and fine abrading capability.
5. Layer thickness of the material removed is of the order of about 1 to 10 μm.
6. Best surface finish that has been achieved is 50 nm and tolerances are +/- 0.5
μm.
Process Principle
• AFM is a finishing process that removes a small quantity of material.
• It uses semi-solid, abrasive laden putty through or across a work
piece.
• It extruded across edges or surfaces to deburr, radius, polish, remove recast,
perform mirror surface machining.
• A hydraulic ram forces the abrasive medium through the work piece.
• As abrasive medium flows through the part, its velocity will change with the
different cross – sectional areas.
• Due to its low MRR, it is not suited for mass material removal.
• It is used for finishing in metals, ceramics, and many plastics in uniform and
economical manner.
Classification of AFM
• AFM is classified into three categories viz.
– One way AFM
– Two way AFM
– Orbital AFM
Commonly used AFM is Two-way AFM in which two vertically opposed
cylinders extrude medium back and forth through passages formed by the
workpiece and tooling.
One way AFM
One-way flow AFM processing pushes abrasive media through the work
piece in only one direction, allowing the media to exit freely from the part.
The advantages of One Way AFM
1. Faster cycle processing
2. Easy clean-up
3. Media temperature control generally not required
4. Able to process larger parts
5. Simpler tooling and part change-over
6. Accurately replicates air or liquids natural flow
7. Does not encapsulate work part in media
Two way AFM
A. Two way AFM machine has two hydraulic cylinders and two medium cylinders.
The medium is extruded, hydraulically or mechanically, from the filled chamber
to the empty chamber via the restricted passageway through or past the work
piece surface to be abraded.
B. Typically, the medium is extruded back and forth between the chambers for the
desired fixed number of cycles. Counter bores, recessed areas and even blind
cavities can be finished by using restrictors or mandrels to direct the medium
flow along the surfaces to be finished.
Advantages of Two way AFM
1. Excellent process control
2. Can finish both ID and OD of component
3. Good control of radius generation
4. Fully automated system capabilities
5. Faster setup & quick-change tooling
6. Faster change-over of media
Orbital AFM
1. Surface and edge finishing are achieved rapid, low-amplitude, oscillations of the
work piece relative to a self-forming elastic plastic abrasive polishing tool.
2. The tool is a pad or layer of abrasive-laden elastic plastic medium (similar to
that used in two way abrasive flow finishing), but typically higher in viscosity and
more in elastic.
Equipments
• Machine
It is constructed with two opposing medium chambers that are
hydraulically or manually clamped together.
The pressure for extruding medium ranges from 0.69 to 22 MPa (100
to 3200 psi)
Lower pressure preferred for fragile parts or loose fixtures.
Little heat is generated due to friction hence medium coolants are
recommended.
• Tooling
– Uses only to hold the part or parts in position.
– To contain and direct the flow of abrasives.
– Any number of parallel restrictions can be processed
with uniform results.
– Replaceable inserts made of nylon, Teflon or hardened
steel are used. Can last for up to thousands of parts.
• Media
– AFM media is pliable material that is resilient enough to act
as a self forming grinding stone when forced through
restrictions.
• Media contains base and typically two or three
abrasive grit sizes.
• Base contains an organic polymer, specially hydrocarbon
gels; it determines the degree of stiffness.
• Four types of abrasive are commonly used viz. Aluminum
oxide, silicon carbide, boron carbide and diamond.
• Abrasives are available in grit sizes ranging from 8 to
700 meshes.
Mechanism of material removal
1) Two modes of abrasive wear, micro-ploughing and micro-cutting, have been
identified as the mechanisms of removal in AFM.
2) In micro-ploughing, surface peaks are smeared and plastically deformed,
resulting in ‘‘leveling out’’ of surface asperities. No volume loss takes place in this
mode of removal.
3) Ridges are also formed adjacent to the grooves created by abrasive particles’
sliding path.
4) On the other hand, in micro-cutting, abrasive particles act as single-point cutting
tools, indenting and removing material in the form of microchips.
5) In both forms of abrasive wear, scratches are characterized by continuous
scratches.
Process Parameters
• Flow Rate – 11.3 to 378 L/min. (3 – 100 GPM)
• Cycles – 3 to several hundred
• Pressure – 0.69 – 22 MPa (100 – 3200 psi)
Process Capabilities
• AFM is able to increase surface smoothness up to 10
times.
• The limit for best surface finish is 0.05 microns.
• Large surface irregularities like deep scratches or large
bumps cant be removed.
• Out of roundness and taper cant be corrected.
• Holes must be of dia. at least 0.2 mm for effective
processing.
Process Summary
• Advantages
– Debur, polish, and radius in one operation
– More repeatable than manual method
– Finish inaccessible area
– Batch production
– Faster than manual
• Disadvantages
– Fixtures can be expensive
– High capital investment
– Cant process blind holes.
