Nontraditional Manufacturing Processes,

MF 30604

Ultra Sonic Machining (USM)

Principle of Ultrasonic Machining
In Ultrasonic Machining process, material is removed by micro-
chipping or erosion with abrasive particles. Between the tool and
workpiece, the machining zone is flooded with hard abrasive particles
generally in the form of a water based slurry.

Tool is oscillated at a frequency of about 20 kHz with an amplitude of

about 10-50m.
Tool forces the abrasive grits to impact normally and successively on
the work surface, thereby machining the work surface (Glass, Ceramic).
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 devices for generating Ultrasonic waves
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.
Advantages of Ceramics over crystals: Easier to shape by casting,
pressing and extruding.
Electrical voltage oscillation is converted to Mechanical Vibration

Electromechanical conversion efficiency up to

96%  Usually no need of water cooling

Transducers available with power capabilities up to 900W

Magnetostrictive Transducers : Use the inverse magnetostrictive effect
to convert magnetic energy into ultrasonic energy.
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 ~ 25m
In brittle material: USM is mainly used for machining brittle
materials {which are poor conductors of electricity and cannot be
processed by Electrochemical and Electro-discharge machining}
Machining is due to crack initiation, propagation and brittle fracture.
Ultrasonic Machine
Sub-systems:
* Transducer, which generates
the ultrasonic vibration
* Horn or concentrator,
which mechanically
amplifies the vibration
to required amplitude
of 15 – 50 μm and
holds the tool at its tip.
* Slurry delivery and return
system
* Feed mechanism to provide a downward feed to the tool during
machining
The horn or concentrator can be of different shape like
• Tapered or conical
Machining of tapered or stepped horn much
• Stepped
easier as compared to the exponential one
• Exponential

Materials for horn: Monel (Ni-Cu alloy), Titanium, Stainless steel

Good acoustic property
Highly resistance to fatigue cracking
Design of horn
Increase in amplitude  Function of shape and ratio of end diameters =D1/D2

Resonance Frequency, f = Vs/,

Sonic Velocity Vs = {(E/)((1-)/(1+)(1-2))}1/2
E= Young’s modulus,  = Density,  = Poisson’s ratio
Length of horn, l = n/2.  = n/2 Vs/f;
Mechanical Amplification ~600%
Transducer Vib. Amplitude 3-25m
Tool Vibration Amplitude 5-75m

D1

D2
Transducer: Magnetostrictive transducers are most popular and
robust amongst all.
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 μm range and is then relayed to the tool .
Vibration amplitude  Diameter of the abrasive grit used.

Vibration
propagation &
Amplification
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: 200-2000grit.
Surface roughness: 280 grit  Ra=0.5micron
800 grit  Ra = 0.2 micron
Water based slurry mostly used.
Process Mechanism:
During one strike,
V=0 Tool
V=Vmax a0 a=a0/2
V=0
Work

When the grit size is close to the

mean position, the tool hits the
grit with its full speed.
Too large or small 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.
In the machining process, Tool
As tool moves downward it impacts on grits,
Grits forced into tool and workpiece.
Cracks initiation just below contact site, Work
As indentation progresses cracks propagate
due to increase in stress Brittle fracture

Ultimately, this leads to brittle fracture of the work material under

each individual interaction site.
Eventually, the tool comes to the end of its strike, impacting all grits
in between tool and workpiecein contact.
Tool material should be such that indentation by the abrasive grits
does not lead to brittle failure. Therefore, tools are made of tough,
strong and ductile materials like steel, stainless steel and other
ductile metallic alloys.
Parametric Dependence of MRR in USM

Grits
breakage

F-Force
a0- Amplitude
dg-Grit diameter
f-Frequency
dg~a0 -Ration of
workpiece and
tool strength
c- Grit
concentration in
slurry
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
Model: Determination of MRR
Identical grits of average grit diameter = dg
With local spherical bulges of diameter
db = .d2g --------------(1)
In brittle fracture the volume of material removed
per indentation of depth, w (hemispherical of
diameter equal to indentation width, 2x)
b = 2/3.x3 = 2/3 .(db.w)3/2 as x2 = db.w ----- (2)
MRR = b .n.f = 2/3 .(db.w)3/2 .n.f ----- (3) n= Ave. no. of grits &
f= indentation frequency
Given: Volumetric Concentration of
grits in slurry = C per unit volume
Area of Tool = A
Spacing between tool & work when
they are pressing against grits  dg
Volume of Grits = A.dg.C
3  n = 6AC/dg
2------ (4)
This will be equal to n (/6)dg
Tool & Work pressing each other
against grits will deform inversely
proportional to their strength
 t/W = w/t =  (<<1) ------ (5)
And, total depth of indentation.
 = t + W
During machining the impulse of
force on the tool & work would be balanced.
V max T/2
a V=0
a T/4
V= Vmax
t 
 =w +t V=0
w

During tool oscillation, it engages & presses grits only during a time
, a part of one-fourth of the cycle (T/4) when it is moving from its
mid-point towards workpiece
/a =  / (T/4)   /T = (t +w)/4.a ---------- (6)
Average impulse by tool impacting one grit = ½ Fmax., -----(7)
where Fmax is the maximum indentation force per abrasive grit.
Total force, F with which tool is fed against workpiece in 1 oscillation
cycle = F = ½ n.Fmax. /T, where n = Average no. of grits present
= ½ n.Fmax (t +w)/4.a ----------(8)
Flow strength of work material to fracture through plastic deformation = w
 Max. force needed to cause indentation by each abrasive grit,
Fmax = .x2. w -------- (9)
 From (7) & (8), F = ½ .x2. w.n.(t +w)/4.a0
Substituting in (8) values of x, db, n, & t /w =  from (1) (2) (4) & (5)
F = (3AC/ 4a0 ). ,w.w2(1+  )
 w = {(4a0.F)/ (3A.C. ,w.(1+  ))}1/2 ----------- (10)

Substituting (1), (4) & (10) in (3) , MRR = bn.f = 2/3 .(db.w)3/2 .n.f
= 4A.C.dg.3/2.f. { (4a0F)/(3.A.C.w(1+)}3/4

MRR  dg. f (C1/4.A1/4.F3/4.a03/4. 3/4)/ {w3/4(1+)3/4}

For tool pressure p, F =A.p
MRR  dg. f (C1/4.A.p3/4.a03/4. 3/4)/ {w3/4(1+)3/4}
Process Parameters and their Effects:
Process parameters which govern the ultrasonic machining process:
• Amplitude of vibration (ao) : 15 – 50 μm
• Frequency of vibration (f) : 19 – 25 kHz
• Feed force (F) – related to tool dimensions
• Feed pressure (p) F=A.p
• Abrasive size : 15 μm – 50 μm
• Abrasive material – Al2O3 ( tends to wear out fast)
- SiC
- B4C
- Boron silicarbide
- Diamond
• Flow strength of work material (w)
• Flow strength of the tool material (t)
• Contact area of the tool – A
• Volume concentration of abrasive in water slurry – C