Patent ID: 7255631

Claim:
An abrasive flow apparatus for polishing a three-dimensional workpiece having at least one aperture extending therethrough, wherein the apparatus is comprised of: a) a first shaft secured to a base, rotatable about a first longitudinal axis and having a first end, wherein the first end is adapted to receive a workpiece having a centerline; b) a second shaft secured to the base, rotatable about a second longitudinal axis and having a first end, wherein the first end is adapted to receive a three-dimensional conjugate form of the workpiece, wherein the conjugate form has a centerline, and wherein the first ends of the shafts are facing one another such that the workpiece and conjugate form are facing one another, c) wherein the centerline of the workpiece and the centerline of the conjugal form are displaced from one another to define an offset; d) a slide for axially positioning the first shaft and the second shaft a predetermined distance from one another such that the workpiece on the first shaft may be positioned adjacent to the conjugate form on the second shaft with a gap defined therebetween; e) a feeder for introducing flowable visco-elastic abrasive media upstream of the workpiece within a work zone defined by the volume of the gap between the workpiece and the conjugal form; f) a discharge passageway downstream of the workpiece for receiving media passing through the at least one aperture; and g) a driver for rotating the first shaft and the second shaft simultaneously such that their first ends are rotating in the same direction and wherein the offset between the two shafts creates relative motion and maintains a gap between the workpiece and conjugate form in three-dimensions such that the flowable abrasive media is urged against the workpiece by the conjugate form.