Motion analysis of powder particles in EEM using cylindrical polyurethane wheel

The small material removal rate of Elastic Emission Machining (EEM) due to the limited machining region is a serious problem. To increase the machining region, a cylindrical polyurethane wheel is used as a tool for accelerating powder particles. It is possible not only to increase the machining efficiency but also to obtain high quality and damage free surfaces of semiconductors and optical parts. However, it requires much trial and error to make experiments with combinations of several conditions. To obtain satisfactory machining conditions, prediction of machining conditions is required and it can be achieved by pre-simulation, which carried out before experiments. In this study, the behavior of machining fluid including powder particle is analyzed in order to understand machining mechanism of EEM using cylindrical polyurethane wheel. According to these results, status of abrasive particles on colliding with work surface and material removal rate are calculated theoretically. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.