Computer-Controlled Fluid Jet Polishing

Fluid jet polishing (FJP) is a new figuring process in optical manufacturing. In this paper, we introduced some recent research results on FJP. Firstly, the distribution of removal function and the mechanism of material removal were studied and it is concluded that the material was removed by the collision and shear actions between abrasive particles and workpiece. Secondly, we bring forward several methods to obtain an ideal removal function with the deepest part at the center, and find that the Gaussian-profile removal function can be obtained by controlling the movement of nozzle. Thirdly, the dependence of surface roughness on the characteristics of workpiece is investigated. Finally, to study the edge effect in FJP, the distributions of removal function are investigated when the polishing tool extends beyond the edge of the workpiece, experimental results imply that, to a certain extent, the edge effect in FJP can be neglected for the small polishing tool.