A novel planetary kinematic approach for magnetic abrasive finishing of stainless steel

Abstract Magnetic Abrasive Finishing (MAF) is an advanced surface finishing method offering high precision and minimal thermal impact, especially beneficial in processing hard-to-machine materials like stainless steel. This study presents a novel MAF configuration in which planetary motion is applied directly to cylindrical workpieces moving within a stationary magnetic field, aiming to enhance process efficiency while simplifying the experimental setup. The proposed system combines planetary motion with free workpiece rotation, enabling cyclic variation of the working gap and providing conditions for abrasive redistribution. Experimental trials were conducted on AISI 304 stainless steel samples, varying the eccentric offset to evaluate its influence on surface roughness. The results revealed that higher eccentricities (up to 11.5 mm) produced greater roughness reduction (up to 58%) and surface uniformity. Additionally, multi-sample finishing tests demonstrated that up to eight samples could be simultaneously processed without compromising quality. Literature-based comparison indicated that the proposed planetary approach can achieve comparable or superior surface improvement while using a simpler experimental setup and shorter processing times. The results demonstrate that planetary kinematics is a promising new approach to magnetic abrasive finishing, combining high surface quality, simplified system design and the capability for simultaneous machining of multiple workpieces.