Int J Adv Manuf Technol (2012) 62:405–420
a b
S 1550 G
1280 G
Y 1050 G
N N N S
X X
1230 G 1040 G
15 G
S N
Fig. 4 Arrangement of different configurations of the permanent magnets with their corresponding chain structures; a configuration 1 (four
magnets), b configuration 2 (four magnets), and c configuration 3 (two magnets)
4 Preliminary experiments
Preliminary experiments are conducted on stainless steel,
brass, and EN-8 workpieces to study the effect of rotational
speed of the magnet (S) on change in Ra (ΔRa0initial Ra−
final Ra; Fig. 6a) and material removal (MR0initial wt.−
final wt.; Fig. 6b). The surface roughness measurement is
performed using a transparent template to get the surface rough-
ness values at the same location before and after finishing. The
direction of surface roughness measurement (for both initial
and final surface) is taken perpendicular to the grinding lay.
From Fig. 6a, it is observed that the value of ΔRa is
smaller at lower RPM. At low rotational speed, centrifugal
Center of the fixture
Internal
surface Internal surface
of the fixture of the fixture
Fig. 5 Distribution of magnetic field with distance for different con-
figurations of the magnets in Fig. 4. ‘0’ indicates the center of the
fixture and ‘−9’ and ‘+9’ indicate the abrasive-workpiece interaction
surface
409
c
S
S
10 G
Y
Y
X
1120 G
N
force (Fcen in Eq. 3) and tangential cutting force (Ft in Eq. 5)
acting on each abrasive particle are low hence low value of
ΔRa. With an increase in the rotational speed of the magnet,
both centrifugal force (helps in indenting the abrasive par-
ticles on the workpiece surface) and tangential cutting force
(helps in removing the surface undulations from the work-
piece surface) increase. Hence, there is a smooth rise in ΔRa
which attains its maximum value at around 60 RPM for all
workpiece materials (Fig. 6a). However, another conflicting
phenomenon (shear thinning of MRP fluid) opposite to
centrifugal force and tangential cutting force also occurs
simultaneously during finishing with the increase in the
rotational speed of the magnet. From the viscosity plot of
MRP fluid at different rotational speeds (Fig. 7), it is ob-
served that the viscosity reduces continuously with an in-
crease in the rotational speed. Due to this shear thinning
nature, the strength of the MRP fluid reduces continuously.
Hence, at higher rotational speed of the magnet (beyond
60 RPM) with the existing magnetic field, the CIPs chains
could not hold the abrasive particles firmly which is required
for the cutting action of the roughness peaks to take place.
Hence, further increase in the rotational speed of the magnet
beyond the optimum value results in a decrease in ΔRa.
Higher rotational speed generates higher centrifugal force
(Eq. 3) which in turn increases normal indentation force
(Findentation, Eq. 4) on each abrasive particle; Therefore,
frictional force (0μFindentation) between the abrasive particle
and the workpiece surface also increases. It requires higher
cutting force to counter the frictional force and maintain
smooth abrasive rotation. However, it seems that beyond
60 RPM, the existing magnetic field (0.2 T) and medium
composition could not hold the abrasive particles firmly
through CIP chains (due to the shear thinning nature of
MRP fluid) to develop the required cutting force. All these