'PROCESS DESIGN FOR NEXT-GENERATION MASS FINISHING TECHNOLOGIES'

Summary
Mass finishing [MF] describes the numerous range of processes used to modify and enhance the surfaces of engineered parts by immersion in a fluidized circulatory flow of loose abrasive media. There are many different types of MF operations in use including: vibratory, tumbling and centrifugal disk which are responsible for material removal and the range of finishing actions from surface cleaning to deburring, often imparting a smooth, lustrous finish. The MF process is particularly suitable for irregular shaped parts and/or large batch sizes and is gaining widespread acceptance as a critical operation for super-finishing components in the fields of aerospace, auto-sport, biomedical and space industry engineering.
However, the process has attracted only little research and as a result the potential of the process is far from being fully exploited and current design practices tend to be empirical, strongly reliant on user experience and expertise. The aim of this study is to improve: (i) understanding of particle kinematics, (ii) process performance and capability, and (iii) evolution of surface finish thus adding a scientific basis, presently lacking.
This proposed research will be the first to include study of the highly efficient Drag finishing regime wherein a part is 'dragged' through static media at high speed. A major feature of the work will be the discrete element modelling programme, the outcomes of which will have strong generic relevance to the wider areas of fluidized and bulk particle/ granular flows.
Given the absence of any major UK or European research effort in this field, a key aim will to be to establish, at LJMU, a unit of expertise in MF that will act as a knowledge warehouse and a conduit for dissemination of best practice and which and will seek to contribute to regional and national strategic planning aimed at promoting and sustaining economic growth in manufacturing industry.
The aims of this research are as follows:
to secure and deliver to industry the necessary scientific grounding required to advance and exploit the MF process
to gain new understanding of impact, wear and surface evolution phenomenon in MF processes
to develop a tribological based abrasion model for mass finishing
to found a 3-D DEM capability for simulation of vibratory-fluidized flows
to establish at LJMU a demonstrator facility directed at key application areas
To achieve these goals a world class partnership of experts are brought together coupling manufacturing knowledge with academic and technical expertise including the high value manufacturing catapult, the MTC, and the rapidly progressing joint initiative: MTC@LJMU. Funding support from EPSRC will help ensure that UK industry and academia lead the world in this rapidly developing and important technology. The planned outreach programme will strengthen this action of dissemination to, and engagement with, industry, and serve to coordinate the knowledge transfer.

Immediate benefits: The immediate impact will be enhanced manufacturing capability resulting in UK wealth creation. The knowledge gleaned will aid production performance and provide for increased commercial competitiveness in MF, achieved, for example, through reduced cycle time, improved media performance, greener and more efficient machining eg. jig-aided.

Longer term benefits: It is anticipated that global impacts will result shortly after project completion when we will see a wider range of components being finished, exploiting advances secured within the project.
This project will result in new optimisation methodologies and procedures that may be exploited commercially bringing further economic benefit. The work will strengthen our ability to create new systems that develop from current MF technologies. This is expected to include novel location systems and/or adaptive-controlled systems.
Value added will come through the industrial partnerships, engagement with the UK MTC and the developing 'MTC@LJMU'initiative. This is due to the extensive industrial network that is presently extending and includes regional and national SME's as well as more established globals.

The glass technology research will benefit operator health, consumption of finite resources and reduce environmental damage. The researchers will work closely with industry, developing their research and professional skills relevant to the employment sectors of our partners. It is of note that many of our researchers are recruited by our sponsors following project completion - recognition of their acquired skills and expertise.

The growing interest in the MF technology is evidenced through the numerous directed enquiries coming to the group. Outreach will feature strongly (ref. 'pathways to impact' and CoS) and the establishment of a national resource, coupled with support of experienced outreach administrative staff (https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/faculties/faculty-of-technology-and-environment/general-engineering-research-institute/outreach-project ) -will help ensure we target and reach extensively. Our Advisory Board will strengthen activities directed toward the commercial private sector who will benefit from the research. This project addresses the fact that no current research in this field is taking place in the UK and that technological guidance and advancement is simply not available. The need therefore, for a national presence is evidence based, and validated through the industrial partners supporting this proposal. The research programmes have strong academic content and the contribution to knowledge will be a major intellectual impact. There is significant fundamental research in an area presently lacking in knowledge. The PI has a strong record of delivering high impact outcomes of generic benefit which can be evidenced through the REF2014 'Case'-visit (http://impact.ref.ac.uk/CaseStudies/Results.aspx?HEI=64 ).

This proposal is the culmination of many years of industry collaboration, government and industry funding and university research infrastructure support. The resources needed to deliver the stated impact are principally associated with technical and administrator costs and a low cost item of equipment. We will measure how effective we are in achieving impact in a number of ways. The principal means will be to establish quantitative evidence of performance improvements and provide a foundation upon which we can drive our dissemination to the global community. Secondly, we will monitor engagement with new industry through the outreach unit and determine how many of these contacts can be developed to stronger partnerships. Thirdly we will monitor access to the knowledge warehouse and to the proposed dissemination / outreach events - this data will give reasonable measures on the value of the outcomes. The pathways to impact have been carefully considered to ensure maximum exploitation of outcomes and knowledge.