Theoretical model of honing force in bore honing

Honing force is one of the key output variables to evaluate the machining performance of the honing process. However, the measurement of honing force during small-bore honing is difficult. The research on and modeling of honing force can help analyze the mechanism of material removal in the honing process, control the material removal rate, and improve the shape accuracy of the workpiece hole after honing. Recent research on the modeling of single-stone honing tools does not reflect reality well. In this study, a model to predict the honing force of a force-controlled, single-stone honing tool is built. The model is established through a mechanical analysis of the honing tool. This study is the first to propose that the initial shape of the workpiece bore considerably affects honing force due to the self-locking effect of honing tool. The model is verified by experiments, and the honing force predicted by the model fits the measured honing force well. The model can be applied to different sizes of single- or multi-stone tools with the same working principle and therefore has a wide range of applicability. It can guide the selection of honing parameters. Moreover, it can help build a more realistic-fitting model for the prediction of the material removal distribution and is crucial to improving the shape accuracy of the bore. © 2024 The Society of Manufacturing Engineers