Post-processing Techniques for Metal Additive Manufactured Products: Role and Contribution of Abrasive Media Assisted Finishing

Additive manufacturing has brought revolutionary changes in manufacturing sector by allowing the production of intricate components that were once unattainable using traditional methods. However, poor surface integrity of these components necessitates further post-processing to improve their surface quality and functionality. Thermal and chemical energy-based post-processes, result in a contaminated/modified surface metallurgy on finished surfaces, which are highly discouraged in industries such as aerospace, automobile, biomedical etc. Mechanical energy-based post-processes, like finish machining, burnishing, etc., are limited due to their constraints related to the geometrical shape of the component. In contrast, abrasive media-assisted post-processes improve surface integrity by removing the material as tiny chips and do not result any metallurgical changes. Therefore, it is worth exploring the various post-processing techniques under this category. A detailed description and work carried out under each process of this group are reported. Research gaps are highlighted, and opportunities to address them are discussed briefly.