Nontraditional Manufacturing Processes,

MF 30604





Ultrasonic Machining (USM)
Principle of Ultrasonic Machining (USM)
In Ultrasonic Machining process, between the tool and workpiece, the
machining zone is flooded with hard abrasive particles generally in the
form of a water based slurry.
Tool forces the abrasive grits to impact normally and successively on the
work surface at 19-25 kHz, thereby machining the work surface.
Material is removed by micro-chipping or erosion with abrasive particles.








In brittle material: Machining is due to crack initiation, propagation and
brittle fracture.
USM is mainly used for machining brittle materials {which are poor
conductors of electricity and cannot be processed by ECM or EDM }
Ultrasonic Machine
Sub-systems:
* Transducer, which
generates the
ultrasonic vibration

* Horn or concentrator,
which mechanically
amplifies the vibration
to required amplitude
of 15 50 m and
holds the tool at its tip.

* Slurry delivery and return system

* Feed mechanism to provide a downward feed to the tool during
machining
Ultrasonic Waves: Frequency ranges from 20 kHz to 1GHz


Generation of Ultrasonic waves: By transducer- a device which
converts energy from one form to another . Two types of transducers
1. Piezoelectric Transducers : Employ the inverse piezoelectric effect
using natural or synthetic single crystals (such as quartz) or ceramics
(such as barium titanate) which have strong piezoelectric behavior.

Electrical voltage oscillation converted to Mechanical Vibration

Advantages of Ceramics over crystals: Easier to shape by casting,
pressing and extruding.

Electromechanical conversion efficiency up to 96%
Usually no need of water cooling
Transducers available with power capabilities up to 900W
2. Magnetostrictive Transducer : Converts magnetic energy into
mechanical vibration .

Generated by applying a strong alternating magnetic field to
certain metals, alloys and ferrites : Laminated stacks of Nickel or
Nickel alloy sheets

Electromechanical conversion efficiency ~ 20-35% Water Cooling

Magnetostrictive Transducers available with power capabilities up to
2400W


Magnitude of Length
change in both types of
transducer limited by
the strength of material
to ~ 25m
Transducer: Magnetostrictive transducers are most popular as they are
robust amongst all and have high power capabilty.

Driven by Electronic generator Creates impulses 19.5 - 20.5 kHz range,
and automatically adjusts the frequency to match the resonant frequency of
the tool, which depends on the horn shape and material

Transducer converts the electrical pulses into vertical stroke.

Vertical stroke is transferred to the horn, which amplifies the stroke amount
in 20-50 m range and is then relayed to the tool .

Vibration amplitude ~ Diameter of the abrasive grit used.
Vibration
propagation &
Amplification
The horn or concentrator can be of different shape like
Tapered or conical
Stepped
Exponential
Machining of tapered or stepped horn much
easier as compared to the exponential one
Mechanical Amplification ~ 5-6
Transducer Vib. Amplitude 3-25m
Tool Vibration Amplitude 5-75m
Materials for horn: Good
acoustic property & Highly
resistance to fatigue cracking
Monel, Titanium, Stainless
steel
Resonance Frequency, f = V
s
/,
Sonic Velocity V
s
= {(E/)((1-)/(1+)(1-2))}
1/2
E= Youngs modulus, = Density, = Poissons ratio
Length of horn l = n/2. or ; depending upon system configuration
Increase in amplitude Function of shape and ratio of end diameters
Abrasive Slurry
1. Aluminum oxide: Best for glass, ceramics & germanium
2. Boron carbide: Expensive but best suited for cutting WC,
tool steel & precious stones
3. Silicon Carbide: Finds maximum applications due to its
hardness and life
4. Diamond dust: machining diamond, Ruby etc.
Abrasive size: 200-2000 grit. (~ 10-100 m)
Surface roughness: 280 grit Ra=0.5micron
800 grit Ra = 0.2 micron
Water based slurry mostly used ( Low viscosity fluid).
Process Parameters and their Effects:
Process parameters which govern the ultrasonic machining process:
Amplitude of vibration (a
o
) : 15 50 m
Frequency of vibration (f) : 19 25 kHz
Feed force (F)
Abrasive size : 15 m 50 m
Abrasive material
Flow strength (plastic deformation) of work material (o
w
)

Flow strength of the tool material (o
t
)

Contact area of the tool A
Volume concentration of abrasive in water slurry C

Tool: Ductile materials e.g. brass, mild steel, stainless steel--
Grits
breakage
Parametric Dependence of MRR in USM
f-Force
a
0
- Amplitude
d
g
-Grit diameter
f-Frequency
-Ration of
workpiece and
tool strength
c- Grit
concentration in
slurry
d
g
~a
0
Attributes & Applications
Normal hole tolerances ~ 0.007 mm and
surface finish ~ 0.02 to 0.7 m.
* Specific material removal rate on brittle materials~ 0.018
mm
3
/Joule.
* Penetration rates of 5 mm/min

Used for machining hard and brittle metallic alloys,
semiconductors, glass, ceramics, carbides etc.
Used for machining round, square, irregular shaped holes
and surface impressions.
Machining wire drawing, punching or small blanking dies.

Limitations
Low MRR
High tool wear
Low hole depth

http://www.bullentech.com/uploads/images/Old%20Pics/TRIANGULAR%20CAVITY.JPG
Process Modeling:

During one stroke,




When the grit size is close to the
mean position, the tool hits the
grit with its full speed.

Smaller the grit size, the lesser
the momentum it receives from
the tool.

Therefore, there is an effective
speed zone for the tool and,
correspondingly there is an
effective size range for the grits
for effective material removal.


Work
Tool
a
V=0
V=V
max
V=0
a
0
=a/2
Model:

Identical grits of average grit diameter = d
g
Local spherical bulges of diameter
d
b
= .d
2
g
In brittle fracture the volume of material
removed per indentation
I
b
= 2/3t.x
3
= 2/3 t.(d
b
.o
w
)
3/2
as x
2
= d
b
.o
w
MRR = I
b
.n.f = 2/3 t.(d
b
.o
w
)
3/2
.n.f


n= Ave. no. of grits &
f= indentation frequency
Given: Volumetric Concentration of
grits in slurry = C
Area of Tool = A
Space between tool & work when
they are pressing against grits ~ d
g
Volume of Grits = A.d
g
.C
This will be equal to n. t/6d
g
3

n = 6AC/t.d
g
2
Tool & Work pressing each other
against grits will deform inversely
proportional to their flow strength
o
t
/o
W
= o
w
/o
t
=

And, total depth of indentation.
o = o
t
+ o
W
During machining the impulse of
force on the tool & work will be balanced.
= o
t
+o
w
During tool oscillation, it engages & presses grits only during a
time t, a part of one-fourth of the cycle (T/4) when it is moving
from its mid-point towards workpiece
o/a
0
= t / (T/4) t = T(o
t
+o
w
)/4.a
0
Total impulse in a second by the Tool I
t
= n.f.F
max
.t,
where F
max
is the maximum indentation force per abrasive.
Now, the tool is fed with an average force F. Impulse in 1s=F
Thus, F = n.f.F
max
.t = n.f.F
max
T(o
t
+o
w
)/4.a
0
o
t
o
w
The flow strength of work material = o
w
F
max
= t.x
2
. o
w

F = t.x
2
. o
w
.n.f. T(o
t
+o
w
)/4.a
0
Substituting values of x, d
b
, n, & o
t
/o
w
= o
w /
o
t
=


F = (3AC/ 4a
0
). ,o
w
.o
w
2
(1+ ) { f.T = 1, d
b
=d
2
g
}

o
w
= {(4a
0
.F)/ (3A.C. ,o
w
.(1+ ))}
1/2

MRR = I
b
n.f = 2/3 t.(d
b
.o
w
)
3/2
.n.f
= 4A.C.d
g
.
3/2
.f. { (4a
0
F)/(3.A.C.o
w
(1+)}
3/4

MRR d
g.
f (C
1/4
.A
1/4
.F
3/4
.a
0
3/4
.
3/4
)/ {o
w
3/4
(1+)
3/4
}
For tool pressure p, F =A.p

MRR d
g
. f (C
1/4
.A.p
3/4
.a
0
3/4
.
3/4
)/ {o
w
3/4
(1+)
3/4
}