An Experimental Study on Abrasive Flow Machining of Artificial Hip Joint

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Meybod University

2 Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, Amirkabir University of Technology

3 Full Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, Amirkabir University of Technology

Abstract

Due to its unique geometry, the uniform machining of the femoral head in artificial hip joints has consistently posed a significant technical challenge. This study presents an effective solution for improving the abrasive flow machining (AFM) process through the design and development of an innovative inverse replica fixture. To this end, first an industrial prototype of the AFM system was fabricated, followed by the production of a fixture tailored to the geometry of the femoral head. The performance evaluation of the proposed device and method was conducted by examining the effects of key AFM process parameters, including hydraulic extrusion pressure, silicon carbide abrasive mesh size, and the number of machining cycles, on the average percentage change in surface roughness (%∆Ra) of a femoral head made from 316L stainless steel. The results demonstrate that the proposed device and methodology provide an efficient and effective approach for achieving uniform machining of the femoral head. Experimental findings not only corroborate the efficacy of the method but also reveal that the average %∆Ra of the samples improved by 40.40%, 86.12%, and 90.61% when using abrasives with mesh sizes of 240, 600, and 1000, respectively. Moreover, surface morphology analysis indicated that the proposed method produces a smooth and uniform surface without inducing surface damage, thereby enhancing the surface integrity of the artificial hip joint.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Amirkabir Journal of Mechanical Engineering
Volume 57, Issue 2
2025
Pages 215-234

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