Analysis of velocity of granular media in cascade finishing by discrete element method with experimental validation

The cascade finishing used for surface finishing, cleaning, deburring, and stress relieving in industry has been increasing rapidly as a final manufacturing step in industry. The process was highly shown to be capable to improve the surface integrity and mechanical properties of workpieces. The effects of process parameters on velocity of granular media in cascade finishing have not yet been studied, which is an obstacle for process optimization. In this study, the behavior of the granular media in the vibrating flow field was simulated by discrete element method. The velocity of the granular media acting on the workpieces were obtained and analyzed. To verify the simulation results, the velocity was experimentally measured using laser displacement sensors. The effect of some parameters on the velocity was obtained through this study.