This award supports cooperative research between Dr. Sherif Elwakil, Department of Mechanical Engineering University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, Massachusetts and Dr. Nahid Abdelsalam Azab, Department of Design and Production Engineering, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. The PIs seek to modify and validate a previously established mathematical model that describes the process of grinding polymers and Fiber Reinforced Polymer composites by carrying out appropriately designed grinding experiments on a wide spectrum of polymers/composites. This would provide deeper insights into the process and would also provide a mechanism for optimizing its parameters, thus making it possible to produce polymeric structural components having high dimensional accuracy and excellent surface finish. This would help reducing the clogging of the grinding wheel and excessive vibration.
The outcome of the proposed work would have a broader impact on manufacturing. It can lead to eliminating an obstacle that has prevented the widespread use of polymers and FRP composites for producing structural components. Currently, metals are used for that purpose because, contrary to polymers, they can be machined to have high dimensional accuracy and excellent surface finish. This is particularly crucial when parts are assembled together based on a specified fit. Accordingly, if the same precision were to be achieved when machining polymers, these would be an attractive replacement for metals as the preferred material for structural components because of the cost advantage. This project is being supported under the US-Egypt Joint Fund Program, which provides grants to scientists and engineers in both countries to carry out these cooperative activities.
