Modeling study on surface roughness of ultrasonic-assisted micro end grinding of silica glass.

Ultrasonic vibration-assisted micro end grinding (UAMEG) is a promising processing method for microparts made of hard and brittle materials. The surface quality of the workpiece in UAMEG is important, as it influences the performance of the finished part to a great extent. However, the surface finish is governed by many factors, and its experimental determination is laborious and time-consuming. So, it is a key issue to establish a model for the reliable prediction of surface roughness in UAMEG. In this paper, a new analytical surface roughness model is developed considering the influence of random distribution of abrasives, grinding conditions, and ultrasonic vibration, which shows the relationship between the surface roughness and the expected value of chip thickness, based on the assumption that the profile of groove produced by an individual grain is a triangular shape. This model is validated by the experimental results of silica glass in UAMEG. The theoretical predicted value of surface roughness matches well with the experimental result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]