Trends on the Abrasive Flow and Electric Discharge Machining of Polymer Matrix Composites

Machining of polymeric composites is very important to bring the component to the required shape and size. A conventional machining technique uses a tool and is less accurate, creates vibration, generates heat in the machining zone, develops wastage in terms of chips and finally alters the material property. Unconventional methods are advanced techniques which do not use cutting tool and hence eliminate the vibration and reduce material wastage. Among the popular unconventional machining techniques, abrasive flow machining and electric discharge machining are widely used methods for machining polymeric composites. The present research gives a detailed insight of various challenges faced and possible solutions to those challenges during machining of polymeric composites. The survey also addresses about the optimum cutting conditions arrived for different polymeric materials and effective statistical tools for optimization of abrasive flow machining and electric discharge machining.