Improved microhole precision and performance by MicroFlow™ abrasive flow machining

Industrial applications for microholes such as diesel injector nozzles are subject to continuous refinement due to tightening of economic, environmental, and associated regulatory requirements. While various methods may be used to drill microholes for injector nozzles, micro-AFM processes add value as finishing operations to improve flow precison and geometric features that dictate service performance. Diesel injector nozzles were processed using micro-AFM to flow target (flow-tune) the nozzles and to compare the effect of two micro-AFM implementations on resulting geometry. Targeting (flow-tuning) was found to be very effective. The two micro-AFM implementations were found to create controlled yet somewhat different geometric effects given the same levels of flow-rate increase.