On the mechanism and mechanics of material removal in ultrasonic machining

Precision abrasive machining processes such as ultrasonic machining are commonly employed to machine glasses, single crystals and ceramic materials for various industrial applications. Until now, precision machining of hard and brittle materials are poorly investigated from the fundamental and applied point of views. Taking into account the major technological importance of this subject to the production of functional and structural components used in high performance systems, it is often desired to estimate the machining rate for productivity while maintaining the desired surface integrity. The success of this approach, however, requires not only the fundamental understanding of the material removal on the microstructural scale but also the relationship between the machining characteristics and material removal rate in ultrasonic machining. In this study, the ultrasonic machining of glass was investigated with respect to mechanism of material removal and material removal rate (with basic machining parameters) with a mild steel tool using boron carbide abrasive in water as slurry. The analysis indicates that the material removal was primarily due to the micro-brittle fracture caused on the surface of the workpiece. For micro-brittle fracture mode, the relationship for the material removal rate, considering direct impact of abrasive grains on the workpiece, based on a simple fracture mechanics analysis has been established. The effect of machining conditions on material removal rate has been discussed. This research provides valuable insights into the material removal mechanism and the dependence of material removal rate on machining conditions and mechanical properties of workpiece material in ultrasonic machining. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.