Study of Magnetorheological Fluid Based Flexible Work Holding Fixture

B Gangadhara Shetty, P S S Prasad Abstract

Surface roughness measurement of a complex geometry has been one of the challenging tasks of a precision component manufacturing industry. Holding such a complex and irregular geometry of components in conventional methods is difficult and sometimes impossible too. In this context, flexible work holding fixtures may come to the rescue of users to hold the component in a desired position and orientation with respect to the measuring device. In the present work, a flexible work holding fixture using Magnetorheological (MR) fluid has been proposed. This is capable of holding all regular, irregular and complex shaped components of any material and constrains all degrees of freedom (DOF). A mathematical model has been developed to evaluate the holding strength of the MR fluid, based on the various forces acting on the component. The proposed device/method was demonstrated to compare with conventional one. Keywords: Flexible fixture, Surface roughness, Magnetorheological fluid, Complex geometry

1 Introduction
Magnetorheological (MR) fluids belong to the classifycation of smart materials which consist of suspension, carrier liquid and additive. Suspensions are of micron- sized magnetizable particles dispersed in carrier liquid. When an external magnetic field is applied, the suspended particles present in the MR fluid get polarized with north and south and align themselves as a chain, in the direction of applied magnetic field [1]. These magnetic particle chains restrict the movement of MR fluid, thereby influence the rheological properties. This is called as magnetorheological effect which increases the yield stress of the MR fluid. This increase is rapid, reversible, controllable and proportional to applied magnetic field. Carrier liquid, like mineral oil, silicon oil, synthetic oil etc., are another constituent of MR fluid provides a medium for magnetically active particulates to remain suspended during the absence of magnetic field and to facilitate realignment once magnetic field is applied. Additive help to decrease sedimentation, prevent agglomeration and oxidation, enhance lubricity, modify viscosity, and inhibit wear. In the absence of an applied magnetic field, MR fluid behaves as a Newtonian fluid and the particles disperse randomly in a carrier fluid. Then, shear stress of the MR fluid can be described as Eq. 1. When the magnetic field is applied, the MR fluids behave like Bingham plastics with a field dependent yield stress [2] expressed as Eq. 2. (1) = MR = B + (2) = shear stress of MR fluids (N/m2), = viscosity of MR fluid without magnetic field (pa-s), = shear rate (/sec), MR = Total shear stress of the MR fluids (N/m2), B = yield stress induced by the applied magnetic field (B) and its values are dependent on magnetic induction field B (N/m2). Relation between yield stress and applied magnetic field of a Honge oil based MR fluid for different volume percentages of suspensions (samples), obtained experimentally (Fig. 1). As can be seen, yield stress of MR fluid increases with increase in either magnetic field or volume percentage of suspensions or both. A highest yield stress of 13kPa was obtained with 40% by volume as suspensions and 0.3816 T as magnetic field. The most exciting applications of magnetically controllable fluids are MR polishing [3], MR damper [4], MR brake [5], MR Abrasive Flow Finishing (MRAFF) process [6] etc. Surface roughness, geometrical dimensions, and profiles are few important quality measures of a manufactured component. With increasing demands for higher quality, there has been great interest among manufactures in its accurate measurement. These quality characteristics are measured with different instruments like Stylus Profilometer, Stylus Profilometer step measurement, Contact Profilometer and coordinate Measuring Machine. These uses different measuring tips like Styluses, Rumania probes etc. which exert a force during its contact with the component. Hence the component has to be held firmly on the table to overcome these measuring forces. However, regular shaped components are held firmly on the table with vices, flat blocks, v-blocks, flexible fixture etc. But, holding of tiny and irregular shape of components are difficult task e.g. watch component, automobile parts like axle of speedometer needle, turbine blades etc.

Fig. 1 Relationship between yield stress and magnetic field for different samples of MR fluid Presently, these are held using fixtures, templates, magnetizable v-blocks, universal vice, China clay, adjustable fixture, modular fixture etc. All of these have some limitations. A fixture and template may hold only one particular shape and size of the component and hence a separate fixture and template is to be designed for each shape and size. Whenever a variety of shapes of component are involved, consumes more time and needs more cost which also increases the inventory due to the storage of large number of fixture elements for each shape of component whereas, magnetizable v blocks are suitable only to hold ferrous components. However, universal vice, which have a provi-

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sion to tilt for holding inclined face, but again have the limitation of shape of component which can held. Next, china clay which holds any shape of the component, but spirit level is to be used for leveling a component each time and clay is to be changed after every two or three uses. Adjustable fixture, one type of flexible fixtures, designned for family of parts and through adjustment of the positions of one or more fixture elements (locator and/or clamps), a certain degree of flexibility can be expected [7]. A modular fixture, another type of flexible fixture, developped for small batch production to reduce the fixturing cost [8]. In both these cases, flexibility was obtained from a large number of different fixture configurations of the fixture elements which may be bolted to a base plate. But both of these fixtures too are not suitable for irregular shaped components such as turbine blades. Further, any of the above devices could not hold a brittle material like glass, because it breaks due to holding force. In addition, other drawback of vices, adjustable and modular fixtures is concentrated clamping force; acting on surface of the component at contact may lead to undesired deformation due to overstressing, especially in precision machined components. It creates micro-cracks on the surface of the component and subsequently leads to fatigue failure. Along with holding a component as discussed, locating the component in the desired position is also important. Deterministic location is one of the locating schemes being able to hold the component in the desired positions. This fixture model was extended and then formulated under the assumptions of deterministic locations, to study at under and over locations to hold the components in the desired position [9, 10]. Another procedure of locating a component was proposed, by determining the DOFs that have to be constrained. It was also supported by practical constrained DOFs in a real locating scheme by using the location model [11]. Hence these problems faced by the precision manufacturing industries, are to be resolved carefully by an alternate universal method to hold all regular, irregular, small and tiny components made of any materials (ferrous, non ferrous) without overstressing during measurement. In the present study, MR fluids application has been extended to use to hold all those components with a method called MR fluid based flexible work holding fixture. But to design this for a given specifications, a relation is to be established between strength developed by the MR fluid due to applied magnetic field, applied magnetic field and the parameters of the structure. Hence a fundamental design method to develop this fixture was investigated theoretically and then evaluated experimentally. Bingham model was used to characterize the behavior of the MR fluid subjected to an external magnetic field strength. An expression for the holding strength was derived which provides the theoretical foundations in the design of the fixture.

weight of the liquid displaced by the immersed portion of the body. (3) Bf = MR * g*v (N) where MR is the density of MR fluid (kg/m3), v is the volume of liquid displaced by the immersed portion of the component (m3) When the component is immersed in the MR fluid, a vertical force due to self weight Wf of the component is acting downwards. Wf = b * g* A * H (N) (4) where b is the density of the component (kg/m3), A is the cross sectional area of the base of the component (m2), H is the height of the whole component (m) Measuring probe of surface roughness tester exerts a force which acts downwards on the component. Force exerted by the measuring probe= Fp (N) (5) For the stability of the component, by applying Newtons second law, from eq. (3), (4) and (5), the net force Fnet on the component is, Fnet= Bf -Wf - Fp (N) (6) When the external magnetic field is applied, yield strength developed by the MR fluid is proportional to it. It acts on all the lateral surfaces of the immersed portion of the component. Hence resistive force developed by the MR fluid, FMR is FMR = MR* a immersed (N) (7) where a immersed =cross sectional area of the lateral surface of the immersed portion of the component (m2) For component to hold firmly in the MR fluid, effective force FMR developed must be more than net force developed (Eq. 8) (Fig.2). FMR > Fnet FMR > Bf -Wf - Fp MR* a immersed > (MR *g * v) - (b *g* A* H) - Fp MR > [(MR *g * v) - (b *g* A* H)- Fp] /a immersed (8)

Fig. 2 Forces acting on the immersed component

3 Operational principles
MR fluid based flexible work holding fixture consists of MR fluid, magnetic coils, container, and locator. In the beginning, a container with MR fluid in liquid state was placed on the table with magnetic coils on either side of it. Then component was inserted at the centre of the container by exposing the marked points to the measuring probe. Locator was used to locate and ensure the measuring surface of the component parallel to the direction of probe movement. Then magnetic field was applied perpendicular to the direction in which the component was inserted which changes liquid phase of MR fluid to solid like phase and holds the component firmly. Now the locator was taken out and the component is ready for measurement. After the measurement the magnetic field was removed and component was taken out of the container. With the application of magnetic field, the carbonyl iron particles present in the MR fluid forms a chain within milliseconds in the direction of the field (Fig.3). The liquid

2 Modeling of MR Fluid Based Flexible Work Holding Fixture

The main task in the design of MR fluid based flexible work holding fixture is to establish the relationship between the forces which destabilize the component while it is immersed in the MR fluid and yield stress developed by the fluid under applied magnetic field strength. When the component is immersed in the MR fluid, the fluid exerts a buoyancy force Bf which acts upwards and is equal to the

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state of MR fluid changes into solid like state and develops a yield strength which was capable to hold a component immersed in it. The fluid was exerting sufficient gripping force on the component when the immersed area was more than 50% of the total area of the component. As the area of immersion increases, area covered by the MR fluid increases. Hence more number of particles of the magnetic chains is in contact with the component surface which increased gripping area. This might be the main cause in increasing the gripping force or holding strength. Good holding strength was obtained for light weight components like plastic, FRP and aluminum. But mild steel components are pulled to the side wall of the container under magnetic field before holding firmly by the MR fluid. Hence this method may be used to hold firmly all shapes (both regular and irregular) and sizes of the component made of any material. This principle was demonstrated to hold the component during surface roughness measurement (Fig.4). The size of the container used was 50mmx50mmx80mm, providing a volume of 160 ml and 120 ml of MR fluid was poured into the container. MR fluid used consists of 40 percent by volume of carbonyl iron particles as suspension, 5 percent by volume of grease as additives and rest with Honge oil as carrier liquid.

In the present study, surface roughness of all the components were measured first by different conventional work holding methods depending on shapes (Fig. 5) and then by MR fluid based flexible work holding fixture alone for all other shapes (Fig.6) with 0.3T of magnetic field. In each case three trials of Ra and Rt were taken between the same marked points on the component. Components of different density materials like Aluminum, Glass, FRP, plastics and mild steel were considered for the investigation. Also times required for mounting the component in both the cases were noted down during the experiment for comparison.

(a) (b) Fig. 5 Conventional work holding device for regular shaped components using (a) Flat block (b) V-block

(a) Fig. 3 Formation of MR fluids chains when magnetic field applied across the container

Fig. 4 Experimental set up

(b) Fig. 6 MR fluid based flexible work holding fixture (a) regular shaped components (b) irregular shaped components 1, 2, 3.

4 Experimental Study
Surface roughness tester (KasakaLab SE 1200) which measures small vertical features ranging in height from 10 nm to 1 mm by vertical stylus displacement as a function of position were used. The height position of the diamond stylus generates an analog signal which was converted into a digital signal stored, analyzed and displays the readings of the arithmetic average of surface roughness (Ra) and maximum height of the profile (Rt). During the test, two specific points were marked on every test bar at a distance of 12.5 mm on the surface and exposed it to measuring probe. A diamond stylus of the tester was moved vertically in contact with first marked point of the component and then moved laterally across the other marked point. Rt= Rp Rv, Rp = Maximum peak height, Rv = Maximum valley depth

5 Experimental Results and Discussion

Components of different material, their surfaces, dimensions and positions considered for surface roughness test was tabulated (Table 1). Mean values of surface roughness and maximum height of the profile obtained while keeping the components both on conventional table and MR fluid based flexible work holding fixture were tabulated (Table 2). Statistical t-tests were used to compare the mean of the surface roughness values obtained (Table 3 and 4). These two Table (Table 3 and 4) indicates that there were no significant deviations in the values of either surface roughness or maximum height of the profile obtained by either conventional or MR fluid based flexible work holding fixture. This confirms that MR fluid based flexible work fixture holds firmly, all components irrespective of the shape

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during surface roughness measurement and there was no displacement of the components. Table 1 Components, their surface, dimension and position during testing

Table 4 Two sample assuming unequal variances (Maximum height of the profile)

6 Comparisons of measuring time

In this a comparison of time consumed for the surface roughness measurement of the components using conventional and MR fluid based flexible work holding fixture were studied. These times were determined by conducting series of repetitive experiments by a skilled surface roughness measurer. The results are tabulated (Table 5 and 6). Statistical t test were used to compare the mean time. Table 5 and 6 gives the measuring time of an irregular shaped component using conventional and MR fluid based flexible work holding fixture respectively. The total measuring time of a surface roughness using conventional method was 108.46sec. This excludes manufacturing time of each fixture. Whereas MR fluid based flexible work holding fixture needed 83.81sec.which was 23% less as compared to conventional method (Table 6 & Fig. 7). Also the complexity of design and fabrication of fixtures for every shape and size of the component was totally eliminated which reduces the total cost at large. Table 5 Measuring time using conventional method for components

Table 2 Comparison of surface roughness and maximum height of the profile

Table 3 Two sample assuming unequal variances (Surface roughness)

Table 6 Measuring time for regular/irregular shaped component using MR fluid flexible work holding fixture

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References
[1] ASHOUR O., CRAIG A, and KORDONSKY W I., Magnetorheological fluids: Materials, characterization, and devices, Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, p123130. 1996. [2] SPASOJEVIC D., IRVINE T F, and AFGANN., The effect of a magnetic field on the rheodynamic behavior of ferromagnetic suspensions, International Journal of Multiphase Flow p607622. 1974. [3] KORDONSKI W, and GOLINI D., Magnetorheological suspension- based high precision finishing technology (MRF), Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, 65065. 1998. [4] GORODKIN S., LUKIANOVICH A, KORDONSKI W., Magnetorheological Throttle Valve in Passive Damping Systems. In: Proceedings of the 4th European and 2nd MIMR Conference. Harrogate, UK 1998, p261266. [5] LI W H, and Du H., Design and experimental evaluation of a magnetorheological brake, International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, p508 515. 2003. [6] DAS M., JAIN V K, and GHOSHDASTIDAR P S., Analysis of magnetorheological abrasive flow Finishing (MRAFF) process, International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, p613-621. 2008. [7] TRAPPEY C, and LIU C R., A literature survey of fixture-design automation, International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, p240255.1990. [8] RONG Y., LI S, and BAI Y., Development of flexible fixturing technique in manufacturing industry. In: 5th International Symposium on Robotics and Manufacturing, Maui, HI, 1517 August 1994. [9] XIONG C H., DING H, and XIONG Y L., Fundamentals of Robotic Grasping and Fixturing (World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd) 2007. [10]XIONG C H., RONG Y, and XIONG Y L., Fixturing model and analysis, International Journal of Computer Applications in Tech, p3445.2007. [11]WAN X J., XIONG C H., WANG X F., ZHANG X M, and XIONG Y L., A machining-feature-driven aproach to locating scheme in multiaxis milling, International Journal of Machine Tools & Manufactu-ring, p4250. 2010.

Fig. 7 Summary of measuring time

7 Conclusions
A method for holding irregularly shaped components is developed using a MR fluid based flexible work holding fixture. This fixture is also capable of holding components of various sizes, shapes and materials quickly to accomodate for surface roughness measurement test. A simple locator was used to locate components parallel to the diection of movement of the probe of the tester. Both surface roughness values and measuring time were determined using conventional methods for comparison. Surface rougness and maximum height of the profile obtained using both the methods are very well matched with developed method. Surface roughness measuring time using MR fluid based flexible work holding fixture is about 23% less than that of conventional methods. This method is quick, flexible and well suited to shapes which are impossible to hold. Brittle material like glass, soft material like sponge and foam may be held easily. The cost of making fixtures for each and every shape and sizes of the components and its inventory are all eliminated. Gripping force on the component may be increased with increase in exposed area to the MR fluid. This principle may be extended to hold irregular shape components for machining for future study.

B Gangadhara Shetty P S S Prasad Department of Mechanical Engineering, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore-641004, Tamilnadu, India Telephone: 91- 0422-2572177, 2572477, Fax: 91-0422-2573833, corresponding author: gangadhara.shetty@yahoo.com

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