The present work deals with the control of ball burnishing parameters of steel components
via fuzzy logic. This burnishing tool using three balls is designed and constructed in such a
way as to replace the three original adjustable jaws of the center rest. The center rest and
the lathe saddle were clamped together to operate as one piece.
Experimental work was conducted on a lathe to study the effect of burnishing parameters
(feed, speed, force, and number of balls used in single pass) on surface characteristics
(surface roundness error). Experimental results from this work were used as a knowledge
base to prepare a fuzzy logic model to control burnishing parameters.
The results obtained from the experimental work and fuzzy model showed that good surface
characteristics can be achieved by using this center rest ball burnishing tool. Burnishing
force, burnishing feed and number of balls in single pass are the most important parameters
that play an important role in controlling the values of all surface characteristics. The
results obtained from the fuzzy model are highly consistent with experimental results.
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