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Surface Integrity Enhancement of Turbine Compressor Blades Using Boron Carbide Abrasives in Magnetic Finishing: An Experimental Study
 
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University of Technology, Baghdad, Iraq
 
 
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Tahseen Majed Salman   

University of Technology, Baghdad, Iraq
 
 
 
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ABSTRACT
This study looks at how well boron carbide (B4C), known for its outstanding hardness and heat resistance, works as an abrasive in the magnetic abrasive finishing (MAF) process to remove cracked layers from metal surfaces. The study focused on the surface integrity and rehabilitation of the compressor blade of a GE gas turbine that includes surface roughness, surface topology (microcracks), and the material removal rate after a period of service. Experimental work employed the Taguchi design with L9 trials in Minitab 17, involving three variables. The compressor blade is composed of AISI 403 stainless steel, and the MAF coil features 5200 turns of pure copper wire with a diameter of 0.6 mm and a cylindrical end pole. The results showed a significant improvement in surface topology, as analyzed by microscopic images taken before and after the Magnetic Abrasive Finishing (MAF) process. The best surface roughness improvement achieved was 38.99% when rotation speed was 800 r.p.m., gap distance was 1.8, and mixing ratio was 50%. The rate of microcrack removal was significantly improved, contributing to a more polished surface appearance. However, the process had a limited effect on larger cracks. According to Taguchi analysis, the abrasive mixing ratio parameter has the main or maximum effect on surface roughness, followed by rotation speed and the last gap distance. These results reflect the process's efficiency in removing microcracks, underscoring the importance of continuous surface evaluation to ensure early treatment before cracks expand and cause part failure.
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