Machining Processes:These are classified in to two types:1.

Conventional Machining
Processes
2. Un conventional Machining
Processes

1. Conventional Machining
Processes
In conventional machining processes metal is removed
by using some sort of tool which is harder than the
work piece and is subjected to wear.
In this process tool and work piece being in direct
contact with each other.
In other words the conventional machining processes
involve removal of metal by compression shear chip
formation.

2. Un conventional Machining
Processes:Ucmp do not employ a cutting tool for metal removal
They directly utilize some form of energy for metal
machining.
In this process there is no physical contact between tool
and the work piece.

Un conventional Manufacturing Processes:These are divide into two categories:

1. Un conventional Machining
Processes [UMP]
or
Non Traditional Machining
Processes[NTMP]
2. Un conventional Forming Processes.

Un conventional Forming
Processes:In this process the metals are formed
through the release and application
of large amounts of energy in a very
short time interval.

Classification of Unconventional Machining Processes based on

Energy Used:-

Based on energy used, un conventional machining processes can

be broadly classified into five main types. They are:

1. Thermal Energy Methods.

2. Electrical Energy Methods
3. Electro chemical Energy Methods
4. Chemical Energy Methods
5. Mechanical Energy Methods

1. Thermal Energy Methods:In of the workpiece. That particular region is either melted
these processes, electrical energy is converted to a huge
amount of heat by some means. This heat is applied on a
small region or vapourised. By this way, material is
removed.
The following are some of the important thermo-electrical
energy based unconventional machining processes:
Plasma Arc Machining
Electron Beam Machining
LASER Beam Machining
Ion Beam Machining

2. Electrical Energy Methods:In electrical energy based processes, no arc is produced

(as in arc welding). Instead, thousands of sparks are
produced every second. These sparks increase the
temperature of the workpiece, melt the unwanted
portions and vapourise those portions.
Processes that come under this category are:
Electrical Discharge Machining
Wire Cut Electrical Discharge Machining

3. Electro chemical Energy Methods:In these processes, unwanted portions of the workpiece are removed by
electrochemical effect. The workpiece (in contact with an electrolyte) is
machined by ion dissolution. Processes that come under this category
are:
Electrochemical Machining
Electrochemical Grinding
Electrochemical Honing
Electro chemical Deburring

4. Chemical Energy Methods:Here, chemical energy is used to remove material from the workpiece.
Material is removed by controlled etching of the workpiece in the
presence of a reagent known as enchant.
Processes that come under this category are:
Chemical machining, chemical milling and photochemical milling
(PCM)

5. Mechanical Energy Methods:In these processes, unwanted material in the workpiece is removed by mechanical
erosion. The mechanical erosion can be facilitated by using any medium.
The four main mechanical energy based unconventional machining processes are:
Abrasive Jet Machining
Water Jet Machining or Water Jet Cutting
Abrasive Water Jet Machining
Ultrasonic Machining

ULTRASONIC MACHINING
(USM)
Principle
A slurry of small abrasive particles are forced
against the work piece by means of a vibrating
tool and it causes the removal of metal from the
work piece in the form of extremely small chips
Also known as ultrasonic grinding or impact
grinding
Ultrasonic refers to high frequency above 20khz

USM
Construction and working

USM
Characteristics
Abrasive

Boron carbide, silicon carbide,

diamond, aluminum oxide

Abrasive slurry

Abrasive grains + water(20 30 %)

Vibration
frequency

20 to 30 KHz

Amplitude

25 to 100 microns

Wear ratio

1.5:1 for tungsten carbide

100:1 for glass
50:1 for quartz
75:1 for ceramics
1:1 for steel

USM
Advantages : Extremely hard and brittle materials can be machined easily
Noiseless operation
Cost of metal removal is low
No heat generation on this process
Equipments are safe to operate
No conductive materials can easily be machined

USM
Disadvantages

MRR is slow
Softer materials are difficult to machine
Wear rate of tool is high
Initial setup cost is high
High power consumption
Tool cost is high
Abrasive should be replaced periodically

USM
Applications
Holes as small as 0.1 mm can be drilled

Precise and intricate shaped articles can be machined

Efficiently applied to machine glass, ceramics, tungsten

Used for making tungsten carbide and diamond wire

drawing dies and dies for forging and extrusion process
Several machining operations like drilling, grinding,
turning, threading etc.

Ultrasonic Machining

Almost any hard and brittle material, including

aluminum oxides, silicon, silicon carbide, silicon
nitride, glass, quartz, sapphire, ferrite, fiber optics,
etc., can be ultrasonically machined.
The tool does not exert any pressure on the work-piece
(drilling without drills), and is often made from a softer
material than the work-piece, say from brass, coldrolled steel, or stainless steel and wears only slightly.
The roots of ultrasonic technology can be traced back
to research on the piezoelectric effect conducted by
Pierre Curie around 1880. He found that asymmetrical
crystals such as quartz and Rochelle salt (potassium
sodium titrate) generate an electric charge when
mechanical pressure is applied. Conversely,
mechanical vibrations are obtained by applying
electrical oscillations to the same crystals. Ultrasonic
waves are sound waves of frequency higher than
20,000 Hz.

Ultrasonic Machining
Channels and holes ultrasonically machined in a polycrystalline silicon wafer.

The tool, typically vibrating at a low

amplitude of 0.025 mm at a frequency of
20 to 100 kHz, is gradually fed into the
work-piece to form a cavity
corresponding to the tool shape.
The vibration transmits a high velocity
force to fine abrasive grains between the
tool and the surface of the work-piece. In
the process material is removed by
micro-chipping or erosion with the
abrasive particles.
The grains are in a water slurry which
also serves to remove debris from the
cutting area. The high-frequency power
supply for the magneto-strictive or
piezoelectric transducer stack that drives
the tool is typically rated between 0.1
and 40 kW.

Ultrasonic Machining
Coin with grooving carried out with USM

The abrasive particles (SiC, Al2O3 or

BC d= 8~ 500 m) are suspended in
water or oil.
The particle size and the vibration
amplitude are ususally made about
the same.
The particle size determines the
roughness or surface finish and the
speed of the cut.
Material removal rates are quite low,
usually less than 50 mm3/min.

Ultrasonic Machining

The mechanical properties and

fracture behavior of the workpiece materials also play a large
role in both roughness and
cutting speed. For a given grit
size of the abrasive, the resulting
surface roughness depends on
the ratio of the hardness (H) to
the modulus of elasticity (E). As
this ratio increases, the surface
roughness increases.
Higher H/E ratios also lead to
higher removal rates: 4 mm3/min
for carbide and 11 mm3/min for
glass.
ultrasonic machining can be used to form intricate,
finely detailed graphite electrodes.

Ultrasonic Machining

Machines cost up to $20,000, and production rates of

about 2500 parts per machine per day are typical.
If the machined part is a complex element (e.g., a
fluidic element) of a size > 1 cm2 and the best material
to be used is an inert, hard ceramic, this machining
method might well be the most appropriate

900 watt Sonic-mill, Ultrasonic Mill

Metal Removal Rate:Boron carbide is the hardest material and

has the highest metal removal rate
Wear ratio is defined as the ratio of volume
of material removed from work to volume
of material eroded from the tool

Material removal in USM is a complex

process.It depends on the following factors:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Grain size of abrasive.

Abrasive materials.
Concentration of slurry
Amplitude of vibration
Frequency of ultrasonic waves

Grain size of abrasive:For rough work operation grain size of

200-400 are used.
For finishing operation grit size of 8001000 are used.

Abrasive Materials:Aluminium oxide is the softest

abrasive and it is used for machining
glass and ceramics.
Metal removal in Usm Process
increases with increasing amplitude
of vibration.
Ultrasonic wave frequency is directly
proportional to the metal removal