Improving spur gear microgeometry and surface finish by AFF process

This paper describes improving microgeometry and surface finish of spur gears by abrasive flow finishing (AFF) by experimentally identifying optimum values of finishing time and AFF medium viscosity. An experimental apparatus was developed for gear finishing by AFF using a medium of silicon carbide as abrasives, silly putty and silicone oil as blending agents. A special fixture was developed comprising of two metalon cylindrical disks having circumferential holes for back and forth movements of AFF medium between two adjacent flanks of 20MnCr5 alloy steel spur gear teeth. Twenty experiments were conducted varying AFF medium viscosity at four levels and finishing time at five levels to study their influence on error reduction in total profile, total lead, total pitch, runout, and average surface roughness. Results showed considerable reduction in the microgeometry deviation and surface roughness with AFF medium viscosity increase and existence of optimum finishing time for attaining maximum improvement in microgeometry and surface finish. Consequently, 25min and 135kPa.s were identified as optimum values and corresponding gear's microgeometry and microstructure were studied. It revealed that AFF-finished gear flank surfaces are free from cracks, cutter marks, thermal distortions. This proves AFF as economical and productive alternative for gear finishing.