Study on prediction of three-dimensional surface roughness of nano-ZrO2 ceramics under two-dimensional ultrasonic-assisted grinding

Ultrasonic-assisted grinding technology can significantly improve the processing quality of hard and brittle materials, with the continuous improvement of machining accuracy, and the three-dimensional roughness characterization of ultra-precision machined surfaces has gradually become a research hotspot. However, it is necessary to develop a reliable three-dimensional roughness prediction model because the experimental measurement of three-dimensional roughness is time-consuming and laborious. In this study, the probabilistic analysis of the two-dimensional ultrasonic-assisted grinding (TUAG) process of nano-ZrO2 ceramics was carried out, and the influence of the random distribution, random prominence height, and unique motion trajectory of abrasive particles on the material removal mechanism of workpiece surface was explored. On that basis, a probabilistic calculation method for the height of residual material on the surface of nano-ZrO2 ceramics under TUAG was further proposed to obtain the more accurate height value which accords with the characteristics of three-dimensional roughness sampling. According to the obtained height value, the three-dimensional roughness prediction model of nano-ZrO2 ceramic under TUAG was developed. The accuracy and reliability of the theoretical model have been verified by the simulation analysis and the TUAG experiment of nano-ZrO2 ceramics, and this study can provide a new theoretical reference to evaluate and predict the quality of the ultra-precision machined surface of hard and brittle materials.