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Since laser technology has considerable synergy with machining technologies, Laser Machining (LM) and Laser Assisted Machining (LAM) are relevant research topics. This paper attempts to give an overview of recent developments and research trends. Although scientific work on this area has contributed to the understanding of the process, there are still unresolved problems regarding the limitations of the techniques, optimum machining conditions, etc. The outcome of experimental investigations on LAM shows potential applications for this process but there are several issues to be resolved.

The electrical discharge machining (EDM) process performance depends on maintaining an appropriate machining gap with a servo system and discharge pulse parameters with a pulse power generator. The integration of the state-of-the-art monitoring and control technologies can substantially improve the performance of the EDM process. This paper reviews the research and development of advanced monitoring and control systems for die-sinking EDM and wire EDM during the last two decades. Important research activities include different EDM gap monitoring systems, servo and pulse adaptive control systems, and knowledge base control systems.

This paper proposes machining under high hydrostatic pressure as a new damage-free machining method for hard-brittle materials. Experiments for this study utilized a specially designed scratching test device, and the pin-on-disc scratching tests were conducted with three (3) hard-brittle materials (i.e., silicon, glass, and quartz) under pressure of 400 MPa and zero MPa. Traces of scratches on these specimens were examined with microscopes to evaluate the effects of hydrostatic pressure on machining defects. The results of the experiments show that hydrostatic pressure is efficient in minimizing machining defects and optimizing the productivity of the hard-brittle materials used in these experiments. Based on these findings, the paper concludes that the origin of a machining crack must exist in the subsurface of the workmaterial. [DOI: 10.1115/1.1347035]