STOCHASTIC APPROACH TO EXPERIMENTAL-ANALYSIS OF CYLINDRICAL LAPPING PROCESS

Lapping is a very complicated and random process resulting from the va riation in size and shape of abrasive grains and from the numerous fac tors which affect the process quality. Thus it needs to be analysed by experiment rather than by a theoretical method, to obtain the relativ e effects of factors quantitatively. In this study, a cylindrical lapp ing experiment designed using Taguchi's L8 orthogonal array was perfor med and analysed using Yates' ANOVA table. As a result, effective fact ors and interaction effects were identified and discussed. Also the op timal factor combination to obtain the largest per cent improvement in surface roughness was selected and confirmatory experiments were perf ormed.