Requirements on the surface quality of parts, and correspondingly on the performance of finishing operations, are constantly increasing, especially in the sectors tool making, mould making, medical engineering, aerospace, optics and astronomy. The increasing complexity in the form of parts, due to a change from flat or rotationally symmetrical geometries to complex free-form surfaces, significantly increases the necessary manufacturing effort. Hence, a large variety of manufacturing processes are established in the industry in the segment of finishing operations for flat and free-form surfaces. Magnetic Abrasive Finishing (MAF) is a special finishing process in the larger segment of abrasive processes with geometrically undefined cutting edges and abrasive grains not fixed in a bond. MAF is applied in numerous process variants for finishing in many different industrial applications. In addition to the established use on special-purpose machine tools, finishing operations based on MAF can be applied using machining centres, which can also be used for preceding machining operations such as milling. This combined use makes it possible to shorten process chains, avoid reclamping errors and achieve a higher degree of automation in surface fine machining processes.

The aim of the project is to research the fundamental correlations of effects in the MAF of para- and diamagnetic materials. Based on these findings, empirical models are then to be developed to systemise the knowledge. In contrast to the MAF of ferromagnetic materials (magnetic permeability µ > 1), MAF operations of para- (µ > 1) and diamagnetic materials (µ < 1) currently require the use of magnetic supports under the workpiece. This restricts the maximum thickness of the workpiece and thus the universal applicability of MAF. Therefore, an additional aim of the research project is to develop a novel MAF tool such that the magnetic support becomes expendable. The described objectives of the project are set such that the foundations can be laid for the development of methods, strategies and tools for a universal application of MAF on machining centres. Ultimately, these developments will contribute to the applicability of MAF to fulfil the increasing requirements regarding surface quality in manufacturing of complex workpiece geometries discussed at the beginning, regardless of the magnetic properties of the material.

Within the scope of the proposed research project, it is planned to investigate fundamental effect mechanisms in analogy tests for ferromagnetic materials and then to systematise the findings in empirical models. With the aim of being able to use the MAF for para- and diamagnetic materials, the models as well as the modular tool concept developed are to be adapted for the new application in the main part of the project. The key technological aspects to be optimised are the distribution of the magnetic fields and the powder kinematics. Regarding powder kinematics, mechanical powder compaction is aimed to be achieved through structured functional surfaces on the MAF tool. The aluminium alloy EN AW-6082, which is used for example in the tool and die industry, is selected as an exemplary workpiece material.