A Knowledge-Driven Approach towards Digitization of Manual Grinding Operations and Optimization of Process-Induced Surface Integrit

Despite the increasing deployment and adaptation of automation in factories, manual grinding is one of the most widely used finishing operation for many industries such as deburring in foundries, engraving and polishing in aerospace industries, construction or welding industries. Although these manual abrasive finishing processes have a growing market but these sectors are under-researched. Limited work has done on manual operations and its impact on surface integrity. The possibility of efficient manual operations in abrasive finishing processes is heavily dependent on operator's skill in retrieving, organizing, and processing information. Unfortunately, there are no quantitative data available in the literature to show the impact of users skill-set and other processing parameters (e.g., cutting forces, processing time, tool geometry, processing temperature, etc.) on machined surface quality. Machined surface quality and product functionality is the important factor to consider since it can significantly affect the desired surface performance and application. Therefore, this dissertation focuses on a detailed investigation of interrelationships between operator's skill level and process and product performance. This research can quantify the complex cognitive behavior of human operator and its association with product performance. Different case studies have designed to find correlations between processing parameters and machined surface quality such as surface roughness, friction coefficient, and perceived quality. The application part of this dissertation focuses on the impact of abrasive finishing operation on food safety. One of the primary sources of food outbreaks is cross-contamination from food contact surfaces. Listeria monocytogenes has been found to be a significant contributor in recent outbreaks. These pathogenic bacteria can survive and grow in a wide range of temperatures (-10 to 450C). Another influencing parameter is bacterial contact time, which plays a crucial role in enabling biofilm formation. Current knowledge on the role of surface topographical features in preventing or aiding attachment is lacking. Therefore, the part of this dissertation also aims to close the knowledge gaps between the characterizations of 304 stainless steel surfaces and to find the correlation with bacterial attachment behavior. This pilot study will help food-processing companies, and food equipment manufacturers to enhance food safety, while prospectively contribute to improving good manufacturing practices (GMP) towards higher sustainability.