Ultrasonic Machining (USM)

PRESENTED BY:MIYAN RAM (1709653)

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Introduction
Ultrasonic machining (USM) is the removal of hard and brittle materials using an axially oscillating tool at ultrasonic frequencies [1820 kHz] During that oscillation, the abrasive slurry of B4C or SiC is continuously fed into the machining zone between a soft tool (brass or steel) and the workpiece. The abrasive particles are, therefore, hammered into the workpiece surface and cause chipping of fine particles from it. The oscillating tool, at amplitudes ranging from 10 to 40 m, imposes a static pressure on the abrasive grains and feeds down as the material is removed to form the required tool shape. Balamuth first discovered USM in 1945 during ultrasonic grinding of abrasive powders. The industrial applications began in the 1950s when the new machine tools appeared. USM is characterized by the absence of any deleterious effect on the metallic structure of the workpiece material.

USM - Components

Machining System
The machining system of USM is composed mainly from the magnetostrictor, concentrator, tool and slurry feeding arrangement. The magnetostrictor is energized at the ultrasonic frequency and produces small-amplitude vibrations. Such a small vibration is amplified using the constrictor (mechanical amplifier) that holds the tool. The abrasive slurry is pumped between the oscillating tool and the brittle workpiece. A static pressure is applied in the tool-workpiece interface that maintains the abrasive slurry.

Main Elements of an USM

Magnetostrictor

Magnetostrictor
It has a high-frequency winding wound on a magnetostrictor core and a special polarizing winding around an armature. Magnetostriction is a property of ferromagnetic materials that causes them to change their shape or dimensions during the process of magnetization. The variation of material's magnetization due to the applied magnetic field changes the magnetostrictive strain until reaching its saturation value, . The effect was first identified in 1842 by James Joule at Manchester when observing a sample of nickel. Magnetostrictive materials can convert magnetic energy into kinetic energy, or the reverse, and are used to build actuators and sensors.

Magnetic Amplifier
The elongation obtained at the resonance frequency (fr) using a magnetostrictor of particular length is usually 0.001 to 0.1 m. This is too small for practical machining applications. The vibration amplitude is increased by fitting an amplifier (acoustic horn) into the output end of the magnetostrictor. Larger amplitudes, typically 40 to 50 m, are found to be suitable for practical applications. Depending on the final amplitude required, the amplitude amplification can be achieved by one or more acoustic horns.

Tools
Tool tips must have high wear resistance and fatigue strength. For machining glass and tungsten carbide, copper and chromium silver steel tools are recommended. Silver and chromium nickel steel are used for machining sintered carbides. During USM, tools are fed toward, and held against, the workpiece by means of a static pressure that has to overcome the cutting resistance at the interface of the tool and workpiece. Different tool feed mechanisms are available that utilize: Pneumatic Periodic switching of a stepping motor or solenoid Compact spring-loaded system Counterweight techniques.

Abrasive Slurry
Abrasive slurry is usually composed of 50 vol. % of fine abrasive grains and 50 vol.% of water. Abrasive grain sizes: 100 800 grit number. Abrasive particles used: (a) Boron carbide (B4C) (b) Aluminum oxide (Al2O3) or
(c) Silicon carbide (SiC).

The abrasive slurry is circulated between the oscillating tool and workpiece. Under the effect of the static feed force and the ultrasonic vibration, the abrasive particles are hammered into the workpiece surface causing mechanical chipping of minute particles. The slurry is pumped through a nozzle close to the tool-workpiece interface at a rate of 25 L/min. As machining progresses, the slurry becomes less effective as the particles wear and break down. The expected life ranges from 150 to 200 h of ultrasonic exposure.
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Abrasive Slurry
The slurry is continuously fed to the machining zone in order to ensure efficient flushing of debris and keeps the machining area cool. The performance of USM depends on the manner in which the slurry is fed to the cutting zone. The different slurry feeding arrangements:

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Material Removal Process

Material removal mechanism of USM involves three distinct actions:

1. Mechanical abrasion by localized direct hammering of the abrasive grains stuck between the vibrating tool and adjacent work surface. 2. The microchipping by free impacts of particles that fly across the machining gap and strike the workpiece at random locations. 3. The work surface erosion by cavitation in the slurry stream.
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USM Performance

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Applications of USM
USM should be applied for shallow cavities cut in hard and brittle materials having a surface area less than 1000 mm2.
Drilling and coring.

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Applications of USM Contd.

Fig. - Modified version of USM - tool bit is rotated against the workpiece in a similar fashion to conventional drilling.
The process is, therefore, called Rotary Ultrasonic Machining (RUM). Cruz et al. (1995) used such a process for machining non-metallic materials such as glass, alumina, ceramic, ferrite, quartz, zirconium oxide, ruby, sapphire, beryllium oxide, and some composite materials. RUM ensures high removal rates, lower tool pressures for delicate parts, improved deep hole drilling, less breakout or through holes, and no core seizing during core drilling of the cavity. Deep holes require more time as the rate of machining decreases with the depth of penetration. This is due to the difficulty in maintaining a continuous supply of new slurry at the tool face. Generally a depth-to-diameter ratio of 2.5 is achievable by RUM.
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Applications of USM Contd.

Ultrasonic sinking and contour machining

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Applications of USM
Ultrasonic Polishing

Polishing occurs by vibrating a brittle tool material (graphite or glass) into the workpiece at an ultrasonic frequency and a relatively low amplitude.

Fine abrasive particles abrade the high spots of the workpiece surface, typically removing 0.012 mm of material or less.
By this method, the surface finish obtained can be as low as 0.3 m. Fig. shows the ultrasonic polishing that lasted 1.5 to 2 min to remove the machining marks left by a CNC engraving operation.

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THANK YOU

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