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3-Optimization of Photochemical Machining PDF
3-Optimization of Photochemical Machining PDF
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OPTIMIZATION OF PHOTOCHEMICAL
MACHINING
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Atul R. Saraf et al. / International Journal of Engineering Science and Technology (IJEST)
OPTIMIZATION OF PHOTOCHEMICAL
MACHINING
ATUL R. SARAF
Department of Mechanical Engineering,Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University, Lonere,
Raigad, Maharashtra State, India
atul.saraf001@gmail.com*
Dr. M.SADAIAH
msadaiah@dbatu.ac.in
SANTOSH DEVKARE
santoshdevkare@gmail.com
Abstract :
This paper presents the machining of Oxygen-Free High Conductivity (OFHC) copper using
Photochemical Machining (PCM). Twenty-seven experimental runs base on full factorial (33) Design of
Experiments (DoE) technique were performed. The control parameters considered were the etchant
concentration, etching temperature and etching time. The response parameters were Undercut (Uc) and the
Surface roughness (Ra). The effects of control parameters on undercut and surface roughness were analyzed
using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) technique and their optimal conditions were evaluated. An optimum
surface roughness was observed at an etching temperature of 55 °c, an etching concentration of 600 gm/litre and
15 minutes etchings time. The minimum undercut (Uc) was observed at the etching temperature of 45 °c, etching
concentration of 600 gm/litre and 15 minutes etching time. It was found that etchant temperature and etching
1. Introduction
The PCM is one of the non-conventional machining processes that produces a burr free and stress free
flat complex metal components. The machining takes place using a controlled dissolution of work-piece
material by contact of the strong chemical solution. The PCM industry currently plays a vital role in the
production of a variety of precision parts viz. microfluidic channels, silicon integrated circuits, copper printed
circuit boards and decorative items. It is mainly used for manufacturing of micro-components in various fields
such as electronics, aerospace and medical. It employs chemical etching through a photo-resist stencil as a
method of material removal over selected areas. This technique is relatively modern and became established as a
manufacturing process. The newly-developed products made from PCM especially relevant to Micro-
OFHC copper is an important material for various engineering applications, as because of its excellent
electrical and thermal conductivity, easy fabrication, and good strength and fatigue properties. An aqueous
solution of ferric chloride (FeCl3) is the most commonly used etchant. Less literature is available on the
photochemical machining of OFHC copper. In the literature, Cakir (2006) studied that the copper etching with
CuCl2 etchant and a suitable regeneration process of waste etchant simultaneously. This would reduce the
overall manufacturing cost and environmentally friendly etching process which ultimately enhances the
productivity. David et al. (2004) studied the characterization of aqueous ferric chloride etchant used in industrial
photochemical machining. He found that FeCl3 is most commonly used etchant with a wide variety of grades.
Rajkumar et al. (2004) investigated the cost model for PCM which defines standards for industrial etchants and
methods to analyse and monitor them. Cakir (2004) stated that the etch rate of FeCl3 is higher than CuCl2 but
CuCl2 gives a better surface finish than FeCl3 during machining of Cu-ETP copper.
From literature, it is observed that no statistical study has been reported to analyse the interaction effects of
process parameters on etching process of OFHC Copper. Till date an accuracy of PCM depends only on the skill
and experience of the operator. Work to date an optimal set of process parameters is not calculated. The
statistical study is necessary to investigate the performance in different ranges as well as to find the global
optimum process parameters. It is also necessary to find out the single optimum process parameters setting to
satisfy the requirements of excellent etching quality. In this work, an attempt is made to study the optimum
process parameters by using full factorial design method and an ANOVA technique.
2. Experimental work
In this work, Ferric Chloride (FeCl3) was used as an etchant for machining of OFHC copper. The chemical
composition of OFHC Copper is shown in Table 1. The etchant, FeCl3 was prepared in 600,700, and 800
gm/litre respectively. For each experiment 5000 ml. of etchant was used.
Etchant was poured into etching bath that is coated by insulator jacket to control chemical etching temperature
and also partially air tight is shown in Fig. 1. Photochemical machining tests were carried out at 45 ◦C, 50 ◦C
and 55 ◦C. The temperature was maintained within a range of ±1 ◦C. Single-sided chemical etching process was
The DOE technique was used to design the experiments to know the interaction of process parameters. Each
parameter was designed to have three levels namely low, medium and high respectively (Number of treatment
conditions = 3k = 33 = 27) using a full factorial DoE technique. The experimental design matrix was a simplified
The analysis of experimental data was performed in order to determine the effect of temperature, time
and concentration on the magnitude of undercut and surface roughness. The analysed results are presented using
The summary of analysis of variance (ANOVA) is shown in Table 3. It is observed that the factor undercut has a
significant effect at 95% confidence interval as evident from ANOVA Table 3. It is observed that etching time
and etchant temperature has a large contribution on the variability of undercut among the selected parameters.
However, the concentration has negligible effect on undercut. The ANOVA for undercut shows that the time
downward action also. The evaluation of undercut as a function of temperature, concentration and time is shown
in Fig. 2.
0.16
0.14
0.12
0.10
Mean
45 50 55 15 20 25
Concentration
0.18
0.16
0.14
0.12
0.10
600 700 800
The main effects plots show that the response undercut was increased with increasing in etch time and
temperature. But initially at lower level undercut was very small and it was very high at higher levels. The
parameters that have greater influence on undercut in the decreasing order of importance are temperature, time
and concentration as shown in Fig. 2. The temperature has the most dominant effect amongst all the main
parameters. Further, it is better to set the concentration, time and temperature at a lower level.
It is observed from the main effects plots (Fig. 2) that the optimum etching performance parameters for
the undercut were observed at a temperature of 45 °c, a concentration of 600 gm/litre and etching time of 15
minutes. Fig. 3 shows the interaction plot for undercuts, with each plot exhibits the interaction between two
0.20 Tepmerature
(°c)
45
0.15
T epmer atur e 50
55
0.10
0.20 C oncentration
(gm/litre)
600
0.15
C oncentr ation 700
800
0.10
0.20 Time
(minutes)
15
0.15
T ime 20
25
0.10
45 50 55 15 20 25
An interaction between factors takes place when the variation in response from a level of a factor to another
level varies from the change in response in the same two levels of a another factor; this implies that the effect of
The summary of analysis of variance (ANOVA) is shown in Table 4. It is observed that the factor Ra has a
significant effect at 95% confidence interval as evident from ANOVA Table 4. It is also observed that etching
time and the enchant concentration have a large contribution on the variability of Ra among the selected
parameters. However the temperature has negligible effect on surface roughness value.
Adjusted
Sequential Adjusted
Degree of sum of Significant
Control factor Sum of mean of F-ratio p- value
freedom squares (Yes / No)
squares squares
Temperature * YES
Concentration 4 3.06522 3.06522 0.76631 8.36 0.006
Temperature* 0.01058 NO
4 0.04231 0.04231 0.12 0.973
Time
Concentration* 0.49871 YES
Time 4 1.99484 1.99484 5.44 0.020
It is observed etching time is the most significant parameter which affects the surface roughness (Ra).
Etching process if prolonged; Ra was always going to be higher. Fig. 4 shows the evaluation of surface
roughness as a function of temperature, concentration and time. According to the main effects plot, we can
evidence that response Ra was increased with increasing in the etch time.
2.0
1.5
1.0
Mean
2.0
1.5
1.0
15 20 25
Initially, Ra was very small. It increases as time increases and remains approximately constant for an increase in
the temperature. The effect of concentration on the surface roughness shows different trends than temperature
and time. The value of Ra increases initially and then starts reducing. The time has the most dominant effect
amongst all the main parameters. After analysing, it is advisable to set the temperature at a higher level, time
It is found from the main effects plots (Fig. 4) that the optimum etching performance parameters for the
Ra value were observed at a temperature of 55 °c, a concentration of 600 gm/litre and time of 15 minutes. Fig. 5
shows the interaction plots of Ra in the PCM process. Two way interactions among the control parameters were
3 Concentration
(gm/liter)
2 600
C oncentr ation 700
800
1
3 Time
(minutes)
2 15
T ime 20
25
1
45 50 55 15 20 25
Fig.5 shows the interaction plots among the three process parameters for their effect on surface roughness.
4. Conclusions
From the experimental investigations based on full factorial method and the analysis of the results, the
It is observed from the ANOVA, the input variables time and temperature both have statistically
significant effects on the undercut. It is also observed from the ANOVA that the input variables
time and concentration both have statistically significant effect on the surface roughness value Ra.
The above discussion confirmed the validity of the full factorial methodology for enhancing the
etching performance and optimizing the etching parameters. The undercut and surface roughness
An optimum surface roughness (Ra) was observed at 55 °c of etchant temperature, 600 gm/litre of
etchant concentration and 15 minutes etching time. For minimum Undercut (Uc), the temperature
was 45 °c, etchant concentration 600 gm/litre and etching time 15 minutes.
References
[1] O. Cakır, 2006, “Copper etching with cupric chloride and regeneration of waste etchant”, journal of materials processing technology,
175, 63–68.
[2] David M. A., 2004, “Photochemical Machining: From Manufacturing’s Best Kept secret to a $6 Billion per annum”, Rapid
Manufacturing Process, CIRP Journal of Manufacturing Systems,53, 559-573.
[3] David M. A., Heather, J.A. Heather J.A., 2004, “Characterization of aqueous ferric chloride etchants used in industrial
photochemical machining”, Journal of Materials Processing Technology, 149, 238–245.
[4] Davis, P.J., Overturf, G.E., 1986, ”Chemical machining as a precision material removal process”, precision engineering , 67-71.
[5] Douglas, C. M.,1997, Design and Analysis of Experiments. Fifth Edition, John wiley and sons, INC.
[6] Rajkumar, R., Heather J.A., Oscar Zamora., 2004, “Cost of photochemical machining”, Journal of Materials Processing Technology,
149, 460–465.