Chapter 1 Non-traditional Micromachining Processes: Opportunities and Challenges Debnath, S. Kunar, $.S. Anasane and B. Bhattacharyya Abstract The high demand and stringent design requirements in developing fields of microengineering as well as various needs of society and nation require the utilization of suitable techniques of non-traditional machining processes on f= ferent existing and newly developed metals, non metals, alloys, polymers, ceramics, rubber and composites, etc, Presently, nontraditional machining techniques have expanded theit applicability in the field of micromachining and offer better opportunities with several inherent advantages that make these processes superior as well as more eelficient than conventional one. Non-traditional mechanical micromachining processes include abrasive jet machining (AJM), water jet ‘machining (WJM), ultrasonic machining (USM), ion beam machining (IBM), ete Non-traditional thermal micromachining processes include micromachining by electro discharge machining (EDM), laser beam machining (LBM), electron beam. machining (EBM), etc. Non-traditional chemical and electrochemical microma- chining processes have been used successfully to generate micro features of high quality. Hybrid micromachining can also be utilized effectively for generating more intricate shapes and complex parts. Advanced finishing processes using nontraditional machining like abrasive flow finishing (AFF), magnetic abrasive finishing (MAF), etc. are also gaining popularity to cope up the steep demand in finishing intricate, complex, durable and sophisticated shapes that are highly eco- nomical and posses better surface quality and property. The opportunities and challenges of each non-traditional micromachining and finishing processes are fo be S, Debnath -S. Kunae - B, Bhattacharyya (2) Production Engineering Department, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032, India ‘email: bb13@redifina.com S. Debnath ‘etna: subhaj¢ e326 gmail.com S. Kunar “e-mail sandip sandip kunar@® gma com SS. Anasane Department of Production Engineering and Industrial Management, (College of Engineering Pune, Pune 411008, India ‘ema anasane@ gmail com © Springer International Publishing AG 2017 1 G. Kibria et al (eds), Now traditional Micromachining Processes, Materials Forming, Machining and Tribology OT 10,10077978-¥-319-52009-1_2 S, Deboath et al investigated considering various practical applications in different micro engi- neering fields, These non-traditional micromachining techniques as well as advanced finishing processes can be improved further and utilized more success- fully in the near future for numerous mieroengincering applications, 1.1 Introduction Recent advancement in technology has created a distinctive opportunity in the fabrication of desired products with specific criteria, This availuble as well as developing technology is being used to produce various parts, structures, compo- nents, shapes etc. on different materials with required geometrical and dimensional characteristics. With the increasing use of different new materials and alloys having superior mechanical properties like higher strengch, increased hardness, better corrosion resistance as well as temperature resistance, the need for components of these high performing materials and alloys are continuously inereasing in various sectors like thermal, energy, medical, space, avionics, automobile, textile, food, ‘material processing, etc [1] To meet this high demand and stringent requirements in such developing fields of modern fabrication industries as well as to satisfy various needs of society and nation, various traditional manufacturing techniques have been utilized such as forming, casting, machining, deposition, joining as well as different non-traditional processes on different existing and newly developed metals, non metas, alloys, polymers, ceramies, rubber and composites etc, Among the mentioned methods, ‘non-traditional machining techniques have expanded their applicability and offer better opportunities with several inherent advantages that make these processes superior as well as more eflicient than conventional one. Both traditional and non-traditional machining processes can further be divided into two domains: ‘macro machining and micro machining. Macro machining deals with the machining of structures or parts which can easily be viewed by naked eye and can he measured bby simple techniques as well as machines that are usual and readily available. On the other hand, micro machining involves those machining techniques and material removal mechanisms where the produced parts cannot be observed cleatly by naked eye and have dimensions within micron (1-999 jum) ranges. Such micro features, after fabrication, need sophisticated techniques and instruments for their measurements, 111 Overview of Non-traditional Machining Processes Non-traditional machining (NTM) processes can be defined as a group of processes that remove excess material from workpiece by various techniques constituting ‘mechanical, thermal, electrical, chemical energies or combinations of these energies1 Nonetational Micromachining Processes 3 without the involvement of sharp cutting tools which are used for traditional ‘manufacturing techniques [2]. The traditional machining methods such as milling, drilling, shaping etc, are not suitable for the machining of tremendously hard and brittle materials. But, the non-conventional machining methods are utilized for the machining of complex and intricate 3D shapes on harder materials as well as thinner materials, where usual machining processes are neither feasible nor satis- factory due to various unavoidable reasons like dificulties in clamping very delicate materials and machining of very flexible workpiece with complex shapes. Various types of non-traditional machining processes have been developed for specific requirements to fabricate desired complex features. The material removal mechanisms of non-traditional machining. processes are basically different than those in the traditional processes that involves different form of energies, other than the excessive forces exercised by a cuting tool, (which isin physical contact with the work piece) that are applied to remove the excess material from the work surface to generate desired shape. Non-traditional machining processes which are entensively exercised now-a-days can be characterized by material removal mechanism, type of energy involved in removal of material, forms of material removal, type and material of tooling, etc. Moreover, different aspects which are responsible for the comect selection of non-traditional machining methods include physical parameters of the processes, capability of the processes in machining Aesired material and product with required geomety, dimension and size of product to be machined, process applicability, feasibility, operational characteristics as well as economies ofthe process involved, Physical parameters ofthe processes involve machining voltage, current, power, machining gap, work medium and other various specific parameters for specific techniques. For example, Electrochemical Machining (ECM) requires power as high as 100 kW, Electron Beam Machining (EBM) and Laser Beam Machining (LBM) require high voltages in the order of 150 and 5 KV respectively and require careful handling, Eleetro Discharge Machining (EDM) and Ultasonie Machining (USM) require medium power whereas, EBM and Ton Beam Machining (IBM) require vacuum, ete, NTM processes involve {generation of various shapes on work material. For example, EBM and LBM are used for micro deillng and cutting of parts having slendemess ratio, ID < 20. USM and EDM are useful for sinking cavities and standard hole drilling. ECM is useful for fine hole diling and contour machining. Both EDM and ECM processes have good capability to make shallow and deep pockets as well as contoured surfaces Whereas, AJM is useful for shallow pocketing. As discussed earlier, applicability and usability of any machining process are other aspects which need to be taken care of. For example, to machine electrically non-conducting materials, both ECM and EDM are unsuitable, whereas other various mechanical methods can achieve the desired results. LBM is not suitable for machining of reflective surfaces ‘whereas, USM is suitable for machining of refractory ceramic material and ATM can be used for superalloys also. ‘The machining characteristics of different non-conventional processes can be analyzed with respect to material removal rat, tolerance achieved, surface finish