When a workpiece contains complex burr edges from a combination of drilling and milling, conventional deburring tools such as wire brushes may not be effective in their removal. In this study, abrasive flow machining was used to gain access to complex burr edges. Experiments on two types of flow guides suggest that an abrupt change in direction of flow around the area with targeted burr edges is essential. The effects of several process parameters are investigated based on the experiments set up.

Intersecting holes deep inside a workpiece, are difficult to deburr because of poor accessibility. When holes are small and the intersecting angle (acute angle between hole axes) is less than 45°, difficulty is at its extreme. In this study, abrasive flow machining is used for a hole diameter of 3mm and intersecting angles of 30° and 45°. Tests were performed for AL6061 specimens, with process parameters allocated to L8(2⁷) orthogonal array. Degree of deburring is strongly dependent on intersecting angle, abrasive grit size, and total volume of flow. Successful deburring was achieved for 30° intersecting angle.