Performance impact of honing dynamics on surface finish of precoated cylinder bores

The surface modification of engine cylinder bores with improved sliding properties is often produced by the honing process. This multi-stage process is performed using abrasive stones loaded against the bore with simultaneous rotation and oscillation. To guarantee this process robustness with acceptable dimensional accuracy and surface quality, the stone dynamic effects in continuous balanced contact with the workpiece have to be studied deeply. This paper highlights these effects on honed surface textures. The stone dynamic behavior was studied at conventional regime ranged from 0.5 g to 1.5 g as often used in mass production. In this range, the dimensional accuracy is ensured by opposition to the surface appearance. However, higher accelerations up to 2.5 g improve simultaneously the form quality (especially straightness) and reduce the cycle time. This work shows, at least, that the bore surface finish can be dynamically controlled while honing. This technology is enabled by a micro scale regeneration mechanism of abrasive stones.