Flexolap
A fully functional advanced manufacturing machine for the flexible abrasive assisted mechanical polishing of components.
Designed, modelled and built from the ground up, succesful results in polishing Ti-6Al-4V components down to 0.1 microns were acheived.
Final Design Drawing
Aluminium T-Slot extrusions, associated extrusion accesories (door handles, connection joints e.t.c) and aluminium plated polyethylene sheets (I-Bond ACM) were used to make the sealed external frame. Pneumatic design and electrical design was incoporated to provide a suction system for abrasives and a controllable rotation for the discharge of abrasives. Results were verified using a profilometer and SEM.
What I did
- Process and Machine Element Design
- CAD/Solidworks
- Electric, Pneumatic and Mechanical Design and Assembly
- MATLAB Modelling
- Research
- Experimentation and Validation
- Sourcing and Acquiring Components
- Dissertation Write Up
A succesfully polished aluminium plate (half polished and half unpolished to view the differences).
A drawing of the hopper design used to funnel abrasives back to the pneumatic system.