PRAGMATIC MANUFACTURING ANALYSIS PERTINENT TO FIXED-ABRASIVE AND LOOSE-ABRASIVE LAPPING PROCESS TO ELICIT THEIR IMPLICATION ON PROCESSING INDUCED SUB-SURFACE DAMAGE SSD

Abstract

Hard brittle materials are becoming more and more popular due to their excellent physical, chemical, and mechanical properties some of which include super hardness and chemical stability under a range of conditions. The manufacturing of these materials requires precision methods such as lapping and grinding which utilize abrasive grains. The downside of using these techniques is that they leave a layer of microcracks on the surface of brittle materials, known as Subsurface Damage (SSD). The SSD adversely affects the performance and lifetime of the components. Therefore, a detailed analysis of SSD is imperative. In this study, the Finite Element Model has been developed to predict Subsurface Damage induced in Fused Silica during the lapping process. The obtained values of crack depths were compared with the actual subsurface damage values. This project based on the Johnson Holmquist damage model aims to provide researchers a non-destructive analysis method for SSD in brittle materials.