Magnetic Abrasive Finishing – A Review

Abstract: The magnetic abrasive finishing (MAF) process which was introduced during the late 1940s has emerged as an important non-traditional metal finishing process. The process has found applications in a wide range of fields such as aerospace, medical, electronics, precision dies and moulds as a part of their manufacturing activities. Magnetic abrasive grit size, magnetic field intensity, magnet & workpiece gap, relative speed between workpiece & magnet, vibration of workpiece/magnet are the principal parameters that control the surface characteristics. MAF is the process that is being developed for efficient & precision finishing upto nanolevel of cylindrical or flat workpieces made of hard to machine materials. This review provides an insight into the fundamental parameters and creates a better understanding of this finishing process, with the objective of helping in the selection of optimum machining parameters for finishing of varied workpieces in practice.