Clarification of magnetic abrasive finishing mechanism

In order to clarify the mechanism of magnetic abrasive polishing, a planar type process for a non-magnetic material, stainless steel, was examined. A magnetic abrasive brush was formed between a magnetic pole and a workpiece material, in which the summation of three kinds of energy necessary for magnetization of abrasives, i.e. repulsion between bundles (Faraday effect) and line tension of outer curved bundle was considered to be minimum. A normal force that pushes the abrasives on the brush end to be indented into the material surface is generated by the magnetic field. The magnetic abrasive brush will then be an extension of the magnetic pole. In this process, the tangential force acts to be the returning force created when the abrasive deviates from the magnetic balance point. Thus, the magnetic abrasives are expected to polish the material surface softly.