31-Jul-21

Today’s topic:
Finishing Operations

SREERAJ A S, ST.MARY'S POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

Finishing Operations

• The heat generated during grinding tends to disrupt and distort the surface of the work.
• This results in poor surface finish.
• After machining or grinding, some components undergo a further process in order to
improve accuracy and surface finish.
• Such operations include lapping, honing, super finishing, polishing, burnishing, etc.

SREERAJ A S, ST.MARY'S POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

1
 31-Jul-21

Lapping
• Lapping is an abrasive process used to improve the surface finish and to obtain small
changes in dimensions or to obtain almost perfect contact between two mating surfaces.
• The process is extensively used for the finishing of gauge blocks and flats.
• Lapping consists of rubbing work surface with a lap surface which is charged with fine
abrasive particles.
• The lap material is generally softer than the work material. Cast iron is mostly used for
lap materials. Graphite in the cast iron serves to hold the abrasive particles and provides
lubricating effect.
• Besides cast iron, copper alloys, lead, plastic and wool are also used as lap materials.
Hard material for lap is generally selected for soft abrasives.

SREERAJ A S, ST.MARY'S POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

Lapping

SREERAJ A S, ST.MARY'S POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

2
 31-Jul-21

Lapping
• Narrow grooves are cut on lap surface and is then charged by spreading and pressing the
abrasive particles (aluminium oxide or silicon carbides) over the surface of lap.
• Silicon carbide is used for rapid stock removal and aluminium oxide for improved surface
finish.
• The work piece is then held against the lap and moved in unrepeated paths. A suitable
cutting fluid (lapping vehicle) such as oil is applied for lapping.
• Lapping can be done by hand or by machine.

SREERAJ A S, ST.MARY'S POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

Lapping
• In hand lapping, either the lap or the work is held by hand and a relative motion is
produced between them. The rubbing of contact surfaces in the presence of abrasive
medium produces smooth surface finish. This method is employed for finishing surface
plate, engine valves and valve seats.
• Machine lapping is performed for obtaining highly finished surfaces in mass production.
Many components like races of ball bearings, worm and worm gears and various
automobile parts are finished by machine lapping.

SREERAJ A S, ST.MARY'S POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

3
 31-Jul-21

Lapping
Advantages of lapping:
Less heat is generated, and there is no distortion of work surface.
Due to low temperature, there are no metallurgical changes in the work materials.
The process is suitable for any materials, and can be used for finishing flat or cylindrical surfaces and
holes.
Disadvantages of lapping:
The process is very slow and metal removal rate is low.
Hand lapping requires high operational skills.
Process cost is high and should not be recommended unless very accurate surface is absolutely
necessary.
Applications: Lapping is employed for getting precise surface finish on precision tools, gauges,
bearings, valves and valve seats. This process can be applied for both metals and non-metals.
SREERAJ A S, ST.MARY'S POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

Honing
• Honing is a finishing process in which a honing tool rotates and reciprocates in the
stationary hole being honed. It is used on holes and bores, which require a fine surface
finish and a high degree of accuracy.
• It can also be used to correct out of roundness, taper and distortion of a bore.
• Honing tool: It is an expanding mandrel on which abrasive sticks are mounted. The
abrasives used for honing are silicon carbide, aluminium oxide, diamond or cubic boron
nitrate.
• Silicon carbide is used for honing cast iron and non-ferrous metals and aluminium oxide
is used for steel parts. Diamond is suitable for honing ceramics or hard carbides.

SREERAJ A S, ST.MARY'S POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

4
 31-Jul-21

Honing

SREERAJ A S, ST.MARY'S POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

Honing
• Honing process: The hone is inserted into the hole and adjusted to bear against the
walls. Work is kept stationary, and the metal is removed as a result of rotary as well as
reciprocating motion of the hone in the hole.
• A cutting fluid (kerosene) is used to remove chips and to keep temperature low. It is
important to see that the hone should not leave the work surface and stroke length must
cover the entire work length.
• Depending upon the work material, honing speed may vary from 0.25 to 1 m/s and
honing pressure is in the range of 1 to 3 N/mm2. Surface roughness obtained in this
process is in the order of 0.1 to 0.8 μm.
Honing can be performed on lathe or drilling machine, but better results can be obtained
on honing machines for production work.
SREERAJ A S, ST.MARY'S POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

5
 31-Jul-21

Honing
• Advantages of honing;
Holes of any diameter or length can be finished.
Relatively high productivity and low cost in comparison with other hole finishing methods.
Removes considerable amounts of material and it is faster and more accurate than internal
grinding.
Disadvantages of honing:
Honing cannot correct diametric or axial run-out of the bore.
Not suitable for honing of tough non-ferrous metals due to glazing or clogging of the pores of the
abrasive sticks.
Applications: Honing is employed for gun barrels, bearing holes, valve guides, bushes, diesel
engine cylinder bore, hub holes in gears and gear boxes.

SREERAJ A S, ST.MARY'S POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

Super- Finishing
• Super finishing is a special technique for producing fine quality surface finish by using an
abrasive stick.
• The tool (abrasive stick) reciprocates with short strokes across the surface of the
rotating work piece.
• A controlled amount of pressure is applied to the abrasive stick for surface cutting. A
mixture of kerosene and oil is used as cutting fluid in super finishing.
• Super finishing is applied for external or internal surfaces which have been previously
ground or precision turned. Parts made from cast iron, steel or non-ferrous metals can
be successfully super finished. Surface roughness obtained here is in the order of 0.05 to
0.2 μm.

SREERAJ A S, ST.MARY'S POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

6
 31-Jul-21

Super- Finishing

SREERAJ A S, ST.MARY'S POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

Super- Finishing
Advantages:
Due to large area of contact, minute imperfections left by grinding or other machining
processes are completely eliminated.
Low working temperatures due to low heat generation.
Disadvantages:
Macro-geometrical errors cannot be corrected by super-finishing.

SREERAJ A S, ST.MARY'S POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

7
 31-Jul-21

Polishing
• Polishing is a process by using wheels or belts on which fine abrasive grit is fixed.
• The abrasives used for polishing are aluminium oxide or silicon carbides. Aluminium
oxide is used for steels whereas silicon carbide is recommended for brass, copper etc.
and aluminium silicate based cement is used as bonding agent for polishing abrasives.
•It is performed for the purpose of removing minute scratches and tool marks. The work
is held against wheel and rotated to achieve the desired finish. The process is not
intended to control the size or shape of the work piece.
• The parts which are to be electro-plated are usually polished. The parts with lustrous
smooth appearance such as stainless steel utensils, surgical instruments, and bright
finish hand tools are finished by polishing.

SREERAJ A S, ST.MARY'S POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

Burnishing
• Burnishing is a cold working process which involves the rubbing of a smooth hard object
under considerable pressure over the work surface.
• Burnishing produces deep lustre, not by abrasion (as in polishing), but by compacting
the surface through the steady pressure on the burnisher which smoothens down small
irregularities and scratch marks.
• The term roll burnishing is used when internal or external cylindrical surfaces are
burnished by using hard rollers. Burnishing improves wear resistance and surface finish.
Surface finish obtained in burnishing ranges from 0.2 to 0.4 μm.
• Burnishing is used for finishing crank pins, piston rods, shock absorbers and gears. It
improves fatigue strength of the elements.

SREERAJ A S, ST.MARY'S POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

8
 31-Jul-21

Buffing & Tumbling

Buffing:
Buffing is a finishing operation intended to impart a high lustre to the part usually it has
been polished. It is performed by buffing wheels charged with extremely fine abrasives.
The wheel is rotated at high speed against the work to achieve high finish and lustre on
work surface.
Tumbling:
Tumbling is the process of revolving small work pieces in a barrel with abrasives and
water. It is intended to produce a high lustre or for removing the burrs. After tumbling,
the parts must be thoroughly washed and dried to prevent the formation of rust. Parts
which have been finished to a high degree may be tumbled.

SREERAJ A S, ST.MARY'S POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE