The Boeing Company
Method and apparatus for fluid cavitation abrasive surface finishing

Abstract:

A method of removing material from a surface of a workpiece includes discharging a flow of fluid towards a workpiece at a pressure and a flow rate that facilitates forming a plurality of cavitation bubbles, and introducing abrasive media. The method includes exciting the abrasive media with the cavitation bubbles, removing material from the workpiece by an interaction between the cavitation bubbles and the abrasive media, and the surface of the workpiece.