Search

Abstract: Nontraditional precision processes (especially at the nanoscale) have been significantly developed in modern industry to meet the specific requirements of applications. In this paper, the progress of nanotechnology applied in nontraditional precision machining processes for advanced industrial applications is presented. In particular, the mechanisms, parameters, properties, applications and patent trends of ultrasonic machining, ion nanobeams machining and laser machining are further explored and analyzed in detail. Other nontraditional precision machining processes related to nanotechnology are also outlined briefly. Finally, the developments and future perspectives of nanotechnology used in nontraditional precision machining are discussed.

Heterogeneous material properties and complex cellular hexagonal thin-walled lightweight structure of Nomex honeycomb composites (NHCs) pose significant challenges to achieve high quality processing in terms of low machinability, specialized cutting tools design, precision and influence of processing parameters on surface quality and cutting force. Surface defects have substantial impact on the functional performance and service life of sandwich structural components of NHCs used in aerospace, defense and automotive industries. In this paper, series of single factor and four-factors 4-levels orthogonal experiments were performed to study the effects of processing parameters on rotary ultrasonic machining (RUM) characteristics in terms of cutting force and surface quality by ultrasonic circular saw blade (UCSB) and ultrasonic circular knife (UCK) cutting tools. Furthermore, comparison of NHCs core workpiece cutting on RUM machine tool with ultrasonic vibration (UV) and without UV was conducted by both UCK and UCSB cutting tools. Experimental results proved that the cutting force increases with increase in feed rate and cutting depth whereas, it shows inverse relation with spindle speed and vibration amplitude. Cutting width has greater influence on cutting force among all processing parameters. UCK cutting tool generates less number of burr but length of burr is long and some tearing defects exists whereas, UCSB cutting tool produces large number of burr with very short burr length, no tearing defects and no uncut fibers. Moreover, NHCs core workpiece cutting on RUM machine tool with UV gives better surface quality and lower cutting force compared to without UV. The present study can be used as basis for comprehensive understanding of NHCs processing mechanism, cutting tools design and processing parameters optimization.

When processing difficult-to-cut materials, conventional turning (CT) typically suffers from the problems of large cutting force, difficult chip removal, and serious tool wear, resulting in deteriorated processing quality, reduced processing efficiency, and increased processing costs. In addition, special-purpose machine tools used for ultrasonic machining exhibit disadvantages, such as narrow application scope, high manufacturing cost, and poor universality; thus, they are not conducive to being popular in actual production and processing. Accordingly, this study analyzed the characteristics of ultrasonic wave, the mechanism of ultrasonic vibration-assisted turning (UAT), and the formation of a machined surface in UAT. Moreover, the machining system of UAT was established. This system applied an ultrasonic wave vibration device to an engine lathe to meet the requirements of vibration cutting in actual production. Simultaneously, Inconel 718, a typical and widely used difficult-to-cut material, was selected for the experimental study. The machining effect of UAT was analyzed in detail, including surface roughness, surface topography, and chip shape. Results indicated that ultrasonic amplitude, cutting speed, depth of cut, and feed rate exert considerable influences on the machining effect. UAT can achieve this effect, which is difficult to realize via CT, under the condition of a reasonable selection of technological parameters. This research can provide theoretical support and experimental basis for the development and practical application of UAT.

A giant magnetostrictive rotary ultrasonic machine tool (GMRUMT) with a large and stable amplitude output was developed. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively evaluate the performance and technological characteristics of the GMRUMT by conducting large amplitude experiments of rotary ultrasonic machining. Combined with the transducers’ characteristic curves of vibration amplitude versus frequency, the GMRUMT has the advantages of greater amplitude, higher power, and better stability compared with the conventional piezoelectric actuated rotary ultrasonic machine tool. The vibration stability of the GMRUMT during the machining process was evaluated by carrying out the rotary ultrasonic face milling of quartz glass and the measurement of the actual ultrasonic amplitude. The processing performance of the GMRUMT was evaluated by obtaining the cutting force, the critical feed rate, and the edge-chipping size at the exit hole via rotary ultrasonic drilling experiments. The tool life was evaluated by observing the abrasive wear of the tool. Finally, the GMRUMT was studied in a stable amplitude output condition via tuning to verify the machining advantages of the GMRUMT.

The different unconventional machining processes are used in modern development of material and manufacturing industries. Ultrasonic Machining (USM) is changing the manufacturing industries with its exceptional performance. Ultrasonic machining is an abrasive process which can be used for machining any material with the help of its vibrating tool and abrasive slurry. In this paper describes the material removal mechanism, machining factors, machining with different materials and its process optimization of USM through collection of different literature reviews. The advancement of the USM process and its future scope has also been presented.

Owing to its vast applications in machining and manufacturing of brittle materials, ultrasonic machining has emerged as a promising nonconventional machining technique. A wide array of research and experimentation has been performed to augment their efficiency and utility. Several modifications to the conventional ultrasonic machining by incorporating other stimuli are also being researched. Pertaining to its ability for machining of brittle materials and various applications in medical, electronic and automation, this chapter provides more understanding of ultrasonic machining and its other modified forms, along with the effects of different stimuli such as abrasive slurry, tool geometry and feed rate. A comparison between conventional and nonconventional machining techniques for brittle materials has been made. A detailed discussion over the different effects of various stimuli on performance parameters is made. An articulated chronological study of ultrasonic machining is presented and discussed. At the end, a comprehensive conclusion on past work is provided, and the future scope of ultrasonic machining is proposed.

The longitudinal and torsional ultrasonic machining (LTUM) is an emerging ultrasonic vibration machining method, which is an innovation method based on rotary ultrasonic machining (RUM). Compared with one-dimensional longitudinal ultrasonic machining (LUM), LTUM has better performances and promising applicability. In this research, the machining mechanism and a drilling force model in longitudinal and torsional ultrasonic vibration drilling is proposed based on kinematic analysis. Besides, the kinematic model and track model in LTUM are established. In addition, the dynamic characteristics and cutting characteristics of the abrasive grains in LTUM are analyzed. Meanwhile, the material removal model for fracture material based on the indentation fracture theory in LTUM is considered. Based on the kinematic analysis and material removal model in the longitudinal and torsional ultrasonic vibration drilling, the cutting force model is developed and the relationship of cutting force with processing parameters and material parameters is investigated. Eventually, the verification experiment is carried out on carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP)-T700. The experimental result shows that the developed cutting force model predicts the cutting force accurately and the deviation is less than 10% in CFRP drilling. Additionally, the drilling experiment of LTUM, LUM, and conventional drilling (CD) are carried out respectively, and drilling force in the three processes are compared. The comparative analysis results show LTUM is superior to LUM and CD with lower drilling force and better performance.

PurposeThis review paper reveals the literature on ultrasonic, chemical-assisted ultrasonic and rotary ultrasonic machining (USM) of glass material. The purpose of this review paper is to understand and describe the working principle, mechanism of material removal, experimental investigation, applications and influence of input parameters on machining characteristics. The literature reveals that the ultrasonic machines have been generally preferred for the glass and brittle work materials. Some other non-traditional machining processes may thermally damage the work surface. Through these USM, neither thermal effects nor residual stresses have been generated on the machined surface.Design/methodology/approachVarious input parameters have the significant role in machine performance characteristics. For the optimization of output response, several input parameters have been critically investigated by the various researcher.FindingsSome advance types of glasses such as polycarbonate bulletproof glass, acrylic heat-resistant glass and glass-clad polycarbonate bulletproof glass still need some further investigation because these materials have vast applications in automobile, aerospace and space industries.Originality/valueReview paper will be beneficial for industrial application and the various young researcher. Paper reveals the detail literature review on traditional ultrasonic, chemical assisted ultrasonic and rotary USM of glass and glass composite materials.

Microfluidic devices offer the potential to automate a wide variety of chemical and biological operations that are applicable for diagnostic and therapeutic operations with higher efficiency as well as higher repeatability and reproducibility. Polymer based microfluidic devices offer particular advantages including those of cost and biocompatibility. Here, we describe direct and replication approaches for manufacturing of polymer microfluidic devices. Replications approaches require fabrication of mould or master and we describe different methods of mould manufacture, including mechanical (micro-cutting; ultrasonic machining), energy-assisted methods (electrodischarge machining, micro-electrochemical machining, laser ablation, electron beam machining, focused ion beam (FIB) machining), traditional micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) processes, as well as mould fabrication approaches for curved surfaces. The approaches for microfluidic device fabrications are described in terms of low volume production (casting, lamination, laser ablation, 3D printing) and high-volume production (hot embossing, injection moulding, and film or sheet operations).

To fully understand the processes in ultrasonic machining, it is necessary to understand the theory of the ultrasound first. The material affects the spreading of the ultrasonic waves. The damping of the undulation affects the tool material selection. The modulus of elasticity affects the machinability of the workpiece material. To sufficient ultrasonic machining, the amplitude of the undulation has to be high enough. With those and additional knowledge is possible to construct devices for ultrasonic machining. For their proper operation, they have to consist of ultrasonic, transducer, concentrator and tool. Correct selection of the tool material, workpiece material, ultrasonic set-up and machining parameters cause benefits during the cutting process.

An IoT ultrasonic generator for the ultrasonic machining system is studied and developed. We used an embedded system to construct an IoT node. The embedded system controls a switch-amplifier that amplifies the power for alternating current excitation signal. The system realizes the functions of frequency sweep, lock, and tracking through the phase angle and the current signal feedback. The experiment results show the IoT ultrasonic generator can monitor the system, remote control, record the current and the phase angle. Moreover, this equipment has automated and smart manufacturing with promising potential for further improvement makes the designed circuit suitable for future practical applications.

The paper describes an XY nanopositioning stage constructed from flexures and actuators machined into a single sheet of piezoelectric material. Ultrasonic machining is used to remove piezoelectric material and create electrode features. The constructed device is 0.508 mm thick, and has a travel range of 8.6 $\mu$ m in the X and Y axes. The first resonance mode occurs at 597 Hz, which makes the device suitable for a wide range of standard nanopositioning applications where cost and size are considerations. Experimental atomic force microscopy is performed using the proposed device as a sample scanner.

Axial ultra-high frequency vibration (UHFV)-assisted drilling technology that combines polycrystalline diamond compact bits and rotary ultrasonic machining technology is expected to improve rock-breaking efficiency and reduce the drilling costs of deep and ultra-deep wells. To better understand the rock-breaking mechanism under a UHFV load and provide a theoretical basis for practical engineering, this paper presents numerical modelling with the finite element method of dynamic cutting processes under different UHFV loads. The cutting force, mechanical specific energy (MSE), rock failure mode, and crack propagation process of a heterogeneous rock with natural cracks are analysed, and then compared with the steady load cutting condition. The simulation results indicate that when the excitation frequency is close to the natural frequency of the rock (approximately 25–30 kHz), the MSE and cutting force reach the minimum value. Compared with the steady load, the average cutting force and MSE under a 25 kHz UHFV load decreased by 49.4% and 28.5%, respectively. The number of cracks increased by 24.9%, while the crack volume and area reached the maximum. In addition, the shear crack ratio can be reduced under UHFV loads. The proportion of shear cracks in 25 kHz UHFV cutting was 5.3% lower than that in steady load cutting. Thus, axial UHFV-assisted drilling can effectively improve the rock-breaking efficiency by adjusting the magnitude of the excitation frequency. The results provide a theoretical basis for the new rock-breaking technology of PDC bit drilling.

An innovative concentric rotary ultrasonic machining (RUM) device based on local induction is proposed. The device is used as a machine tool accessory that can add the RUM to any machining center. Rather than using a complete ring, a portion of a ring is used as the primary core in the proposed rotary transformer, which eliminates spindle speed limits. The simplified configuration provides increased safety and is convenient for material processing applications. Additionally, a circuit compensation method based on coil turns is proposed. It takes the whole circuit, reliability of electronic components, transmission efficiency, and output power into consideration. We use this method to choose the optimal number of coil turns and compensation elements required to achieve increased and safe power transmission performance. This paper also demonstrates the performance of the device through experimentation. Finally, practicability is discussed.

Polycarbonate bullet proof (UL-752) glass is highly demanded material in automobile, aerospace and space industries. It is also used in security chambers or buildings, because of its unique propert...

Electron beam melting (EBM), an additive method and rotary ultrasonic machining (RUM), a subtractive technique have been in great demand owing to their innumerable benefits. These techniques can manufacture components from titanium alloys (such as Ti-6Al-4 V) for industries such as aerospace, medical, and automotive, etc. However, these techniques have their own limitations since they are not yet fully developed for many materials including Ti-6Al-4 V. For example, the RUM involves high machining time due to the extremely low MRR while EBM suffers with poor surface quality of final parts. Therefore, in this work, an attempt has been made to combine the additive (EBM) and subtractive (RUM) techniques. The two techniques have been integrated to overcome the limitations of one over the other. In fact, this research has aimed to minimize the surface roughness of EBM fabricated parts using RUM. The design of experiment (DOE) has been adopted to get the best combination of RUM parameters which produce a high surface finish for EBM parts. Moreover, the artificial neural network (ANN) model has been developed to predict the surface roughness effectively. The machining parameters such as coolant pressure, frequency, spindle speed, depth of cut, feed rate, and power supply of RUM have been investigated for better surface finish. It has been confirmed from this study that the surfaces with R a value less than 0.3 μm can be achieved using the proposed methodology.

The chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is widely used to polish hard and brittle materials. However, it is difficult for conventional CMP to achieve high material removal rate (MRR) and high surface quality while polishing of hard and brittle materials such as monocrystalline silicon. Therefore, ultrasonic elliptical vibration (UEV) is employed to aid conventional CMP in our research, which combines the functions of conventional CMP and ultrasonic machining. In the ultrasonic elliptical vibration-aided chemical mechanical polishing (UEV-CMP) experimental setup developed by us, the workpiece attached on the ultrasonic vibrator can vibrate simultaneously in both horizontal and vertical directions during CMP. It is found that the ultrasonic elliptical vibration can effectively increase the MRR while maintaining surface quality in conventional CMP. The possible mechanism in UEV-CMP is firstly analyzed chemically to establish a reasonable material removal rate model. The effects of the ultrasonic elliptical vibration on the interaction among the abrasive particles, polishing pad, and workpiece are investigated to explain why the MRR of UEV-CMP is higher than that of the conventional CMP. A mathematic model, which includes polishing variables such as morphology and material properties of polishing pad; abrasive size; and material properties of particles, frequency, and amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration as well as polishing process parameters, is set up to interpret the increase in MRR for UEV-CMP. The results from the MRR model show that the ultrasonic elliptical vibration can improve material removal by increasing both the chemical reaction efficiency of polishing solution and mechanical impact efficiency of the abrasive particles on the workpiece surface and also by increasing vibration amplitude in vertical direction as the horizontal vibration contributes less towards the increment of MRR. Experiments are conducted for model verification, which should be that the experimental results agree well with model predictions.

Although superior in properties, composite materials still have problems in machining, such as delamination, cracking, burning, tool blockage, and cost and efficiency issues. These problems can prevent wide application of extraordinary composite materials. As an effective method in composite machining, rotary ultrasonic machining (RUM) process has been paid much attention to recently. The current studies on RUM tool design are mostly based on experiments. However, the insufficiency of RUM tool design theory would generally result in the tool blockage, which subsequently leads to the sharp increase in cutting force and poor machining quality in the engineer application. Besides, few investigations are made to combine tool design parameters with machining conditions to avoid tool blockage during RUM process. In this work, based on the RUM material removal mechanism, two models for the chip space and the chip length are built. Thus, the tool blockage condition in RUM is linked with the tool design parameters and the cutting parameters. Experimental study is performed for theoretical verification. Due to the differences in the modalities of the chip, two typical types of composites, C/SiC and CFRP T700, are selected to obtain their tool blockage conditions. The test results show that to prevent the occurrence of blockage, the chip space should be greater than the chip length in C/SiC milling, while in T700 milling, the chip space should be at least over 8 times greater than the chip length.

The machinability of aerospace grade alloys is a major concern in the production of components and is the focus of industrial and academic research projects. Assisted processes have emerged as a potential alternative for machining aerospace materials, increasing the material removal rate while not compromising the quality of the component. One of the assisted processes which have shown potential are ultrasonic (vibration assisted) processes. In these methods the tool is vibrated at a high frequency using an actuator, usually parallel to the depth of cut direction. In general this method is thought to be more effective when applied to hard materials. This research focuses on the machining of an aerospace material on a milling configuration using traditional and ultrasonic machining techniques. The results present the potential benefits of using ultrasonic machining techniques in machining difficult to machine alloys.

The paper describes design, modeling and control of a five-axis monolithic nanopositioning stage constructed from a bimorph piezoelectric sheet. In this design, actuators are created by removing parts of the sheet using ultrasonic machining. The constructed nanopositioner is ultra-compact with a thickness of 1 mm. It has a X and Y travel range of 15.5 µm and 13.2 µm respectively; a Z travel range of 26 µm; and a rotational motion about the X- and Y-axis of 600 µrad and 884 µrad respectively. The first resonance frequency occurs at 883 Hz in the Z-axis, and the second and third resonance frequency appears at 1850 Hz, rotating about the X- and Y-axis. A decentralized control strategy is implemented to track Z, θx and θ y motions. The controller provides good tracking and significantly reduces cross-coupling motions among the three degrees-of-freedom.

OptiPro Systems, LLC has been recognized as a U.S. leader in computer-controlled equipment for manufacturing high precision optical components found in medical, military, aerospace, night vision and many other industrial and commercial applications. OptiPro’s success in winning several Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grants through the Navy, NASA and the Army have led to the commercialization of new machines, software and processes for grinding, polishing and measuring complex optics such as windows and domes. OptiSonic machines incorporate the latest in ultrasonic machining technology by adding 20-40 kHz of adaptive oscillation to the grinding tool, which reduces force on the tool and part during processing. OptiSonic machines have proven to increase processing speed and precision when grinding various hard optical materials that are ideal for hypersonic applications. UltraForm Finishing (UFF) machines are capable of deterministically finishing windows, domes, and other complex optical elements through a patented sub-aperture polishing technique. This method involves a moving belt of polishing material wrapped around a precision compressive wheel. UltraSurf machines deliver ultra-precision non-contact metrology though the utilization of high-quality machine components and the latest non-contact probe technologies. The measuring probe is scanned over the optical surface while maintaining perpendicularity and a constant focal offset. Finally, our PROSurf freeform computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software is used to develop advanced toolpaths for each of these platforms. We will present an overview of each of these technologies and discuss how they are advancing the precision optics manufacturing world.

The present study was carried out to perform predictive modelling of material removal rate (MRR) and tool wear rate (TWR) during ultrasonic machining (USM) of titanium (Ti) alloy (Ti–6Al–4V) by realizing an optimum artificial neural network (ANN) created by exploring the effect of two different learning algorithms with varied number of neurons in hidden layer. Experimental studies were carried out to explore the effect of various process parameters of ultrasonic machining on response variables MRR and TWR. The basic nature of USM makes these two variables a conflicting one and, therefore, an entropy weight-based grey relational method was used to optimize the process for the two response variables. It was found that the ANN-based predictive results were very closely related to actual experimental findings.

Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) offers excellent mechanical properties, such as high strength, light weight, which makes it widely used in aerospace, transportation, machineries, and industrial applications. However, because of its anisotropic mechanical properties, high hardness, high strength, and poor thermal conductivity, the traditional processing methods are gradually unable to meet the processing needs. Except delamination, glitches, and tearing during processing, there are also other defects, like severe tool wear, larger cutting force, and higher cutting temperature, which make the tool life shortened. The machinability of CFRP materials using conventional machining (CM) techniques has seen a limited improvement over the years. Rotary ultrasonic machining (RUM) is an advanced machining process, which has shown to have specific advantages especially in the machining of CFRP. Many experimental investigations on cutting force in RUM of CFRP have been reported. However, in the literature, there are no reports on the development of a cutting force model for flat surface rotary ultrasonic machining, i.e., rotary ultrasonic face grinding (RUFG). In order to reveal the mechanism of grinding force reduction in RUFG of CFRP, based on material properties of CFRP, the brittle fracture theory approach was adopted and a cutting force model was developed for CFRP in RUFG process. The experiments were carried out and found the affect of the input variables for the cutting force in RUFG. The results were analyzed and discussed. The trends of predicted effects of input variables on cutting force agree well with the trends determined experimentally. Compared with the experimental results, the developed cutting force model was regarded as reasonable.

Ultrasonic machining (USM) is one of the non-conventional techniques extensively used in industries for machining hard and brittle materials. The USM operates on a very high frequency of around 20–40 kHz and the tool which vibrates gives amplitude of around 5 μm. However, in order to achieve proper machining, the tool must have an amplitude of around 10–100 μm. Therefore, the ultrasonic horn magnifies the amplitude of vibrations from the transducer end to the tool end. The magnification factor for the amplitude of vibration is dependent on the design of the ultrasonic horn. In the present work, an ultrasonic circular hollow horn is designed for USM using finite element analysis (FEA) to match the required performance of a conventional ultrasonic machine. Firstly, the profile of the horn is determined using the general differential equation for generating the 3D model. The natural frequencies and the mode shapes are determined by performing the modal analysis. Subsequently, the feasibility of the design is checked by performing the harmonic response analysis to determine the magnification factor and the equivalent stress experienced by the horn. Finally, the suggested design of ultrasonic horn is validated by comparing with the existing design of ultrasonic horns. The study indicates the dominance of the suggested design over other designs, while maintaining the stress value well below the limit of endurance for the horn material. Hence, a circular hollow ultrasonic horn is designed using FEA, which can be used for USM in industrial applications.

The mechanical machining induced edge chipping at hole exit restricts the applications of brittle materials. Rotary ultrasonic machining (RUM) is regarded as a suitable approach for the holes-manufacturing of brittle materials with reduced edge chipping, comparing with conventional grinding. However, obvious edge chipping can still be observed in RUM. In this research, a novel step diamond core drill for RUM was designed to further reduce the edge-chipping size. RUM tests on both quartz glass and sapphire were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of this new type drill. Experimental results show that the step drill can reduce the edge-chipping size by approximately 60 % without bringing obvious bad influences on the tool life. The mechanism of edge-chipping reduction was revealed by the detailed observation of thrust force and theoretical analysis. In order to guarantee the effectiveness of step drill, the step thickness should be smaller than the thickness of drill end face and the step height should exceed a critical value.

In rotary ultrasonic machining (RUM), the traditional power transfer method was achieved by slip ring that cannot cope with high-speed rotary of the tool, which limits the machine potential of RUM. Based on the principle of electromagnetic mutual inductance and the technology of loosely coupled inductively power transfer (LCIPT), a contactless power transfer system (rotary transformer) is built for RUM to achieve its power transfer goal. Resonant Compensation technology is used to enhance the efficiency of the rotary transformer. And the performance of the rotary transformer is validated on Maxwell platform.

Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) composites have been intensively used in various industries due to their superior properties. In aircraft and aerospace industry, a large number of holes are required to be drilled into CFRP components at final stage for aircraft assembling. There are two major types of methods for hole making of CFRP composites in industry, twist drilling and its derived multi-points machining methods, and grinding and its related methods. The first type of methods are commonly used in hole making of CFRP composites. However, in recent years, rotary ultrasonic machining (RUM), a hybrid machining process combining ultrasonic machining and grinding, has also been successfully used in drilling of CFRP composites. It has been shown that RUM is superior to twist drilling in many aspects. However, there are no reported investigations on comparisons between RUM and grinding in drilling of CFRP. In this paper, these two drilling methods are compared in five aspects, including cutting force, torque, surface roughness, hole diameter, and material removal rate.

Poly-crystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) is one of the hardest known material. Therefore only advanced methods are able to treat such material. Advanced machining methods, proper for machining of hard and brittle materials (such as glass and ceramics) include rotary ultrasonic machining (RUM). However, high hardness of workpiece cause higher loads and it could negatively affect achievable accuracy and surface topography. Machine loads are affected by both: machined material and machining parameters. This contribution investigates influence of machining parameters, such as spindle speed, feed rate and depth of cut, on loads of machine tool during machining of PCBN by rotary ultrasonic machining.

In current study, the effects of numerous process parameters such as properties of work material, profile of tool, grit size, tool feed rate and power rating on rate of material removal and tool wear have been investigated in ultrasonic machining of WC-Co composite material. Taguchi’s L-18 orthogonal array has been utilized for planning the experiments. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) is also utilized to find the significant factors. Multi-response optimization has been done by using grey relation analysis (GRA) method. Tool with square type profile carries better performance for material removal rate. Significant effects are observed for process variables such as tool profile, abrasive grain size, power level and tool feed rate. Obtained results have been found to corroborate with confirmatory experimental results.

The impact of teaching material design for multidisciplinary learning on learning achievement with science and technological university students was examined. The participants were students enrolling in an elective general education course, named Technology and Life Application, at a technological university. The experiment lasted for one semester with a total of 16 weeks. The results revealed that the teaching material design for the four topics, including ultrasonic machining, abrasive jet machining, investment casting, and precision welding machining, significantly enhanced students’ learning achievement. However, the teaching material design for the topics of laser beam machining and electrical discharge machining did not have a significant effect on learning achievement. Therefore, the contents of the teaching materials for the topics of laser beam machining and electrical discharge machining required revisions.

The need of advanced materials required in the modern-day technology and the demand of miniaturisation from different kinds of engineering applications have led to the development of cutting processes that are able to offset the limitations encountered in the conventional manufacturing processes. Advanced mechanical cutting processes such as waterjet machining, abrasive waterjet machining and ultrasonic machining are important advanced machining processes that are contactless and tool-less processes used to cut advanced materials and in micromachining where the conventional machining process becomes prohibitive. These advanced mechanical cutting processes are analysed in this chapter. The working principles of these cutting processes are described with the advantages, disadvantages and areas of application presented. Some of the research works in this field are also presented in this chapter.

This study presents new machining types of advanced materials. Super alloys, ceramics and fiber reinforced plastics started being used on a large scale in the last period, this making necessary the development of new machines and machining processes. This paper describes different methods of ultrasonic machining and makes a comparison between them. By ultrasonic machining can be understood a process that involves axial vibrations with a high frequency and low amplitude, for improving the machining conditions like chip flute removal, tool wear and temperature reducing. In this paper, are presented three different ultrasonic machining methods. In the first one, the cutting process is made by abrasive slurry inserted between the tool and the workpiece, in the second one is made by a rotating diamond-brazed tool and in the last one is made by a special drill. This paper aims to study the current status in this field in order to make a research program through collaboration between the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca and the tool company Gühring KG by which to develop ultrasonic drilling.

Non-conventional manufacturing techniques are most widely used in industries in order to achieve high accuracy and desirable product quality. Therefore, the selection of an appropriate machining parameter has become a crucial job before starting the operation. Several optimization methods are available to resolve the upstairs situation. The current study explores a novel technique namely multi-objective optimization on the basis of ratio analysis (MOORA) to solve different multi-objective problems that are encountered in the real-time manufacturing industries. This study focuses on the application of MOORA method for solving some non-conventional machining processes that have multiple criteria problems. Wire-Electric Discharge Machining (WEDM), Plasma Arc Cutting (PAC), Electro Chemical Micro Machining (ECMM), Electro Chemical Machining (ECM), Abrasive Jet Machining (AJM), Abrasive Water Jet Machining (AWJM), Ultrasonic Machining (USM), Laser Beam Machining (LBM) and Laser cutting process are the major attentions in the current study. Total nine NTM multi-criteria problems which include selection of proper machining parameters have been studied. The optimal settings of input variables obtained by using MOORA method nearly tie with those derived by the earlier investigators.

Ultrasonic machining (USM) has been considered a new, cutting-edge technology that presents no heating or electrochemical effects, with low surface damage and small residual stresses on brittle workpieces. However, nowadays, many researchers are paying careful attention to the disadvantages of USM, such as low productivity and tool wear. On the other hand, in this study, a high-performance rotary ultrasonic drilling (RUD) spindle is designed and assembled. In this system, the core technology is the design of an ultrasonic vibration horn for the spindle using finite element analysis (FEA). The maximum spindle speed of RUM is 9,600 rpm, and the highest harmonic displacement is 5.4 μm noted at the frequency of 40 ㎑. Through various drilling experiments on glass workpieces using a CVD diamond-coated drill, the cutting force and cracking of the hole entrance and exit side in the glass have been greatly reduced by this system.

Since the last few decades, there have been tremendous technological advancements in communication, aeronautics, automobiles, textile engineering, nuclear energy, medical sciences and die-making industries. These have necessitated the use of some totally new and hitherto unknown high-strength temperature-resistant, tough and difficult-to-machine materials and, consequently, some newer unconventional processes for their efficient machining. It has been well established that non-traditional machining processes (NTMPs) far surpass their traditional counterparts in machining such advanced materials with respect to tolerance, surface finish, accuracy, complexity and miniatureness of the machined product/part. These NTMPs are also found to be more effective and economical. Choosing the most appropriate NTMP for generation of a desired shape feature on a given work material involves consideration of numerous conflicting qualitative and quantitative criteria. This paper proposes the application of fuzzy axiomatic design principles for selection of the most suitable NTMPs for generating cavities on ceramics and micro-holes on hardened tool steel and titanium materials, based on their practical/industrial importance. For micro-drilling operation on hardened tool steel, electrical discharge machining is found to be the best process followed by abrasive jet machining and ultrasonic machining. On the other hand, for generation of micro-holes on titanium, electrochemical machining is the most suitable process. Abrasive jet machining emerges out as the most efficient process for generating blind cavities on ceramics. These results are well in accordance with the expected machining practices and perfectly match with the decisions of the machining professionals.

Compared with the conventional machining (CM), rotary ultrasonic machining (RUM) is generally believed to have many better cutting features, such as low cutting force, high material removal rate, and long tool life. But this paper presents an interesting observation on ultrasonic vibration-assisted drilling and milling with spiral cutting tools (SCT). Due to the special spiral structure of tools, ultrasonic vibration at the end of tool has more complex characters which may generate a negative effect on machining. In this paper, several RUM experiments were conducted, and we found that the cutting force is not always reduced when using SCT. Through the finite element method (FEM), we found that two kinds of vibrational direction are shown at the end of the SCT when the vibrational frequency changes. One is along the first and third quadrants, and the other is along the second and fourth quadrants. Since the vibrational direction affects the actual cutting angle and interference may occur, this change will greatly affect the cutting force and the surface quality. Therefore, a kinematics model of the vibration on the cutting edge will be proposed to understand the cutting mechanism of RUM deeply.

A new rotary ultrasonic machining (RUM) spindle is proposed. It adopts contactless rotary transformer replacing the well-established slip ring technology to supply power for the transducer. Owing to the large leakage inductances, the capacitive piezoelectric transducer and the variable mechanical load, the circuit compensation is crucial for efficient and reliable power transfer. In this study, the mathematical models are presented to identify the power transfer efficiency and capability of the rotary transformer used in RUM. A general optimisation method of compensation for maximum transfer efficiency is proposed. The mechanical load dependencies of the transfer efficiency, transfer capability and power factor are researched and discussed. The efficiency has been found to be dependent of the secondary compensation elements. The series-series (SS) topology is applicable to a wide range of mechanical load variations, followed by parallel-series (PS) topology. For a varying load in RUM, the contactless energy transfer is possible to achieve high efficiency, high power factor and appropriate output power that adapts to load variations.

Ultrasonic machining (USM) is a mechanical material removal process used to erode holes and cavities in hard or brittle workpieces by using shaped tools, high-frequency mechanical motion and an abrasive slurry. Unlike other non-traditional machining processes, such as laser beam and electrical discharge machining, USM process does not thermally damage the workpiece or introduce significant levels of residual stress, which is important for survival of materials in service. For having enhanced machining performance and better machined job characteristics, it is often required to determine the optimal control parameter settings of an USM process. The earlier mathematical approaches for parametric optimization of USM processes have mostly yielded near optimal or sub-optimal solutions. In this paper, two almost unexplored non-conventional optimization techniques, i.e. gravitational search algorithm (GSA) and fireworks algorithm (FWA) are applied for parametric optimization of USM processes. The optimization performance of these two algorithms is compared with that of other popular population-based algorithms, and the effects of their algorithm parameters on the derived optimal solutions and computational speed are also investigated. It is observed that FWA provides the best optimal results for the considered USM processes.

In micro-ultrasonic machining (MUSM), a major part of the material is removed by the impact of abrasive particles. In the early stage of machining, abrasive particles are distributed uniformly in the machining area. However, as the process goes on, abrasive particles will be driven out of the machining area owing to the ultrasonic vibration of the micro-tool or work-piece and the rotation of the micro-tool in the fluid. As a result, the machining precision and machining efficiency will be reduced. In this paper, we propose a new method called electrophoretically assisted micro-ultrasonic machining (EPAMUSM) in which an electric field is used to prevent the abrasive particles from being driven out of the machining area. Experiments on EPAMUSM are conducted using a self-developed micro-USM system with micro-tool vibration, in which the control system of the micro-USM machine tool controls the machining force in a constant range. First, experiments comparing micro-ultrasonic machining with and without electrophoretic assistance are conducted. It is found that, with the appropriate processing parameters, EPAMUSM can improve machining accuracy and machining efficiency. Then, experiments with an orthogonal design are performed to reveal the main effects of the process parameters (abrasive particle size, spindle speed, DC voltage, force, ultrasonic power, mass fraction, and feed rate) on the material removal rate, and the optimal processing parameters are derived from the results.

Ti6Al4V alloys are difficult-to-cut materials that have extensive applications in the automotive and aerospace industry. A great deal of effort has been made to develop and improve the machining operations of Ti6Al4V alloys. This paper presents an experimental study that systematically analyzes the effects of the machining conditions (ultrasonic power, feed rate, spindle speed, and tool diameter) on the performance parameters (cutting force, tool wear, overcut error, and cylindricity error), while drilling high precision holes on the workpiece made of Ti6Al4V alloys using rotary ultrasonic machining (RUM). Numerical results were obtained by conducting experiments following the design of an experiment procedure. The effects of the machining conditions on each performance parameter have been determined by constructing a set of possibility distributions (i.e., trapezoidal fuzzy numbers) from the experimental data. A possibility distribution is a probability-distribution-neural representation of uncertainty, and is effective in quantifying the uncertainty underlying physical quantities when there is a limited number of data points which is the case here. Lastly, the optimal machining conditions have been identified using these possibility distributions.

A design method for ultrasonic torsional transducer is presented based on the one-dimensional wave equation and the equivalent circuit method. Firstly, the equivalent circuits of torsional transducer and horn are constructed. The mounting flange can be placed right at the nodal plane, where no angular displacement occurs. An ultrasonic torsional tool is fabricated according to the presented method, and the resonance frequency and torsional vibration amplitude are measured by Laser. The comparison between the measured and predicted results shows that the present method is reliable, simple and straight.

Aerospace, automotive and sporting goods manufacturing industries have more interest on carbon fiber reinforced plastics due to its superior properties, such as lower density than aluminum; higher strength than high-strength metals; higher stiffness than titanium etc. Rotary ultrasonic machining is a hybrid machining process that combines the material removal mechanisms of diamond abrasive grinding and ultrasonic machining. Hole-making is the most common machining operation done on carbon fiber reinforced plastics, where delamination is a major issue. Delamination reduces structural integrity and increases assembly tolerance, which leads to rejection of a part or a component. Comparatively, rotary ultrasonic machining has been successfully applied to hole-making in carbon fiber reinforced plastics. As reported in the literature, rotary ultrasonic machining is superior to twist drilling of carbon fiber reinforced plastics in six aspects: cutting force, torque, surface roughness, delamination, tool life, and material removal rate. This paper investigates the effects of tool end angle on delamination in rotary ultrasonic machining of carbon fiber reinforced plastics. Several investigators have cited thrust force as a major cause for delamination. Eventhogh, it is found on this investigation, tool end angle has more significant influence on the delamination in rotary ultrasonic machining of carbon fiber reinforced plastics comparing to cutting force and torque.

The tool’s unique movement trajectory in longitudinal and torsional ultrasonic machining technology can help chip extraction. Cutting liquid can offer good lubrication, cleaning and cooling. It also can prolong tool’s life, improve the processing quality and processing efficiency, so it is widely used in precision and ultra-precision machining. It builds the model of ultrasonic vibration system, based on the motion analysis of longitudinal and torsional ultrasonic vibration honing. In addition, mode analysis, transient dynamic analysis and harmonic response analysis are carried out by means of finite element analysis software ANSYS. Using graphics and curve in the postprocessing module describe the results of numerical simulation. It can provide powerful model and theoretical basis for the structure design and performance optimization of ultrasonic vibration system, which is used for longitudinal and torsional ultrasonic vibration honing.

Unconventional machining processes (communally named advanced or modern machining processes) are widely used by manufacturing industries. These advanced machining processes allow producing complex profiles and high quality-products. However, several process parameters should be optimized to achieve this end. In this paper, the optimization of process parameters of two conventional and four advanced machining processes is investigated: drilling process, grinding process, abrasive jet machining, abrasive water jet machining, ultrasonic machining, and water jet machining, respectively. This research employed two bio-inspired algorithms called the cuckoo optimization algorithm and the hoopoe heuristic to optimize the machining control parameters of these processes. The obtained results are compared with other optimization algorithms described and applied in the literature.

There are a number of problems with the traditional way of machining Nomex composite materials, Ultrasonic vibration cutting as a new method can overcome most of the problems. This paper presents the machining process characteristics of ultrasonic cutting honeycomb structures of Nomex composite materials using two kinds of specials tools, and has a research on Ultrasonic machining tools posture control strategy, then proposed calculation method of generating the cutter location date. The main system was developed to meet the automatic generation cutting path of Nomex composite materials based on VS2008 and UG commercial software. The result of experiment shows this system can automatic generate rational machining path and correct NC date.

International audience; As the available wide bandgap semiconductors continuingly increase their operating voltages, the electrical insulation used in their packaging is increasingly constrained. More precisely the ceramic substrate, used in demanding applications, represents a key multi-functional element is being in charge of the mechanical support of the metallic track that interconnects the semiconductor chips with the rest of the power system, as well as of electrical insulation and of thermal conduction. In this complex assembly, the electric field enhancement at the triple junction between the ceramic, the metallic track borders and the insulating environment is usually a critical point. When the electrical field at the triple point exceeds the critical value allowed by the insulation system, this hampers the device performance and limits the voltage rating for future systems. The solution proposed here is based on the shape modification of the ceramic substrate by creating a mesa structure (plateau) that holds the metallic tracks in the assembly. A numerical simulation approach is used to optimize the structure. After the elaboration of the structures by ultrasonic machining we observed a significant increase (30%) in the partial discharge detection voltages, at 10 pC sensitivity, in a substrate with a mesa structure when comparing to a conventional metallized ceramic substrate.

The FEM analysis of ultrasonic tool has been done in addition to surface roughness of machined samples using ultrasonic machining process have been presented. The experimental conditions were designed by using DOE approach. The analysis of results has been done using the MINITAB 14.0 software and results obtained are validated by conducting the confirmation experiments. The F-test and P-value has been applied to determine the significant parameters.

The work of manufacturing engineers is to utilize the minimum amount of energy or resources in bringing out a product without compromising on quality. Hence, to achieve this, the engineers must figure out the optimum or the best possible method to fabricate a product. This paper uses a multi criteria decision making (MCDM) model namely Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) to determine the best possible machining process to achieve the optimum results for an engraving operation on gear face in an automobile industry which uses five nontraditional machining processes viz; Laser Beam Machining (LBM), Ultrasonic Machining (USM), Electric Discharge Machining (EDM), Electrochemical Machining (ECM) and Electron Beam Machining (EBM). The five criteria considered in this paper are Material Removal Rate (MRR), Surface Finish, Depth Damage, Tolerance and Toxicity. The AHP result shows that ECM is the most suitable machining process as compared to others.

Ultrasonic vibration cutting can be widely used in lathe, planer, milling machine, grinding machine, thread processing and gear processing, etc. Ultrasonic vibration cutting system is composed mainly of ultrasonic generator, ultrasonic transducer, luffing rod, cutting tool, etc. Here, ultrasonic generator is the most important. The stand or fall of signal, which is produced by ultrasonic generator, has direct influence on anticipated effect and ability of ultrasonic machining. In order to generate a signal, which can be suitable for ultrasonic machining, ultrasonic vibration cutting system is studied, and ultrasonic signal generator based on direct digital frequency synthesis (DDS) is designed and conducted a cutting test with this ultrasonic machining system. The results show that the signal generator, which is made up by DDS technology, can generate the signal with stability, reliability and greater flexibility, and can be fully applicable to the ultrasonic machining.

The acoustic horn plays a very vital part in high energy ultrasonic machining, and its design is critical to the quality and the efficiency of machining. This paper performs the analysis and design of acoustic horns for ultrasonic machining by employing ANSYS finite element software. Firstly, the theoretical dimensions of the horns are calculated and compared to three commercial available horns with different shapes. Moreover, their natural frequencies and amplitudes are obtained through the simulations of ANSYS. Finally, the numerical results are compared with commercial available horns.