The Impact of Magnetic Abrasive Finishing (MAF) Process Parameters on the Microhardness of Stainless Steel SUS420 Bubble Cups

Abstract

 Magnetic abrasive finishing enhanced SUS420 stainless steel bubble cup microhardness  A 21.20% microhardness increase occurred with the smallest particle size, high voltage, moderate gap and lower rotation speed  Optimizing parameters enabled substantial microhardness improvement through magnetic abrasive finishingThe optimal performance of bubble cups relies on achieving the appropriate surface quality, a common requirement in various industrial applications. The effectiveness of the Magnetic Abrasive Finishing (MAF) process depends on several factors, including the brush's flexibility, that vary across tools. This study investigates the influence of five key parameters, voltage, finishing time, gap distance, rotating speed, and particle size, on microhardness (MH). Experimental work was based on Taguchi design with L27 trials in Minitab 17, involving five variables with three levels for each. The impact of these parameters on microhardness for stainless steel SUS420 bubble cups is assessed using Taguchi and ANOVA analyses. According to the Taguchi analysis, the main parameters that improve microhardness (MH) most are, in order, gap distance, voltage, time, particle size, and spindle speed. The percentage change in microhardness (%∆MH) increases with higher voltage and time values and decreases with higher particle size and spindle speed values. This study observes an exception to this trend for the gap distance value of 1.2 mm. The use of smaller particle sizes in the range of (20-63) µm showed the most significant enhancement in microhardness (MH) at 21.20%, whereas larger particle sizes (125-250 µm) exhibited lower enhancement in microhardness (MH) at 4.12%.