The objective of this Major Qualifying Project is to study surfaces produced by mass finishing. To better understand the basic mechanisms we have determined the normal forces between a surface and a sample mass finishing media by measuring scratch depths from brief mass finishing times on polished surfaces, testing the micro-hardness of the surface, and measuring the shape of the abrasive particles in the media. We also studied how the surface produced by mass finishing effects the shininess of the surface. In particular scale-sensitive fractal analysis allowed us to identify the scales at which the surface roughness and surface reflectivity correlate the best. The results of this work should support product and process design for mass finishing.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Allen, Nicolas James
• Laun, Jeffrey David

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-042612-123457

Advisor

• Brown, Christopher A.

Year

• 2012

Date created

• 2012-04-26

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Mechanical Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright