Abstract
Nylon/abrasive brushing tools are used in surface finishing processes for a wide range of applications, including blending, polishing and edge-radiusing of both ductile and brittle materials. In this paper, the surface topography and machined materials that are generated during orthogonal brushing of a flat 6061-T6 workpiece are examined using scanning electron microscopy. Also, the microscopic morphology of nylon/SiC filaments is examined in as-received and steady-state configurations. This information is used to postulate a qualitative model for material removal mechanisms and the wear/attrition characteristics of the filament material system.