Magnetorheological finishing (MRF) is a precision

surface finishing Surface finishing is a broad range of industrial processes that alter the surface of a manufactured item to achieve a certain property. Finishing processes may be employed to: improve appearance, adhesion or wettability, solderability, corrosion re ...

technology.

Optical Optics is the branch of physics that studies the behaviour and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it. Optics usually describes the behaviour of visible, ultraviole ...

surfaces are polished in a

computer A computer is a machine that can be programmed to Execution (computing), carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations (computation) automatically. Modern digital electronic computers can perform generic sets of operations known as C ...

-controlled magnetorheological (MR) finishing slurry. Unlike conventional rigid

lap A lap is a surface (usually horizontal) created between the knee and hips of a biped when it is in a seated or lying down position. The lap of a parent or loved one is seen as a physically and psychologically comfortable place for a child to ...

polishing Polishing is the process of creating a smooth and shiny surface by rubbing it or by applying a chemical treatment, leaving a clean surface with a significant specular reflection (still limited by the index of refraction of the material accordin ...

, the MR fluid's shape and stiffness can be

magnet A magnet is a material or object that produces a magnetic field. This magnetic field is invisible but is responsible for the most notable property of a magnet: a force that pulls on other ferromagnetic materials, such as iron, steel, nickel, ...

ically manipulated and controlled in

real time Real-time or real time describes various operations in computing or other processes that must guarantee response times within a specified time (deadline), usually a relatively short time. A real-time process is generally one that happens in defined ...

. The optic's final surface form and finishing results are predicted through the use of

computer algorithms In mathematics and computer science, an algorithm () is a finite sequence of rigorous instructions, typically used to solve a class of specific Computational problem, problems or to perform a computation. Algorithms are used as specificat ...

Literature

W.I. Kordonski (2014). "Magnetorheological Fluid-Based High Precision Finishing Technology." Magnetorheology: Advances and Applications, Norman M. Wereley, Ed., RSC Smart Materials, Cambridge, UK, Chapter 11, 261–277. DOI:10.1039/9781849737548-00261

S.D. Jacobs, W.I. Kordonski, I.V. Prokhorov, D. Golini, G.R. Gorodkin, T.D. Strafford (2002). "Deterministic Magnetorheological Finishing." US Patent: US5449313A

Shorey et al. "Experiments and Observations Regarding the Mechanisms of Glass Removal in Magnetorheological Finishing", abstract and full text (pdf)

Chunlin Miao, et al., "Shear stress in magnetorheological finishing for glasses," Applied Optics 48, 2585-2594 (2009)

Chunlin Miao, et al., "Process parameter effects on material removal in magnetorheological finishing of borosilicate glass," Applied Optics 49, 1951-1963 (2010) * German Patent: DE69924595T2 Industrial processes {{Physics-stub