9402895 Komanduri The award is for the development of an integrated approach to the design of equipment for precision finishing of advanced ceramics and glasses based on the magnetic field assisted polishing technique. Experimental and analytical approaches will be taken to develop the science base for the design, construction, and optimization of the equipment used for the polishing. Finite- element based techniques will be used to help select specific magnetic field configurations, and optimization of process parameters will be based on studies of relationships between process parameters and various measures of process performance. A database relating process parameters and process performance will be developed. The finishing techniques to be developed here can be used successfully for efficient finishing of a variety of materials both magnetic and non-magnetic, as material removal rates are at least an order of magnitude higher than conventional polishing techniques. The analytical techniques developed here will facilitate design and optimization of the equipment without reliance on trial and error as is currently the case.
