Unit - 3

Ultrasonic Machining (USM)

 Process Description
•A mechanical type non-traditional
machining process.
•Balamuth first discovered USM in 1945
during ultrasonic grinding of abrasive
powders.
•The industrial applications began in the
1950s when the new machine tools
appeared.
•Removal of hard and brittle materials
(both electrically conductive and non-
conductive)
•The tool, which is negative of the workpiece,
is vibrated at low amplitude (0.01 to 0.1
mm) and high frequency (greater than 20
kHz) Hareesha N G, Dept of Aero Engg,
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 Process Description
•Abrasive slurry is continuously fed between a soft tool and the
workpiece
•Abrasive particles are hammered into the workpiece surface
and cause chipping of fine particles from it
•The slurry also carries away the debris from the cutting area
•The tool is gradually moved down maintaining a constant
gap of approximately 0.1 mm between the tool and
workpiece surface
•Slight pressure on the tool to ensure the fracturing of
workpiece
•Abrasive particles with a higher fracture strength than the
workpiece, and the tool with higher fracture strength than
abrasive particles

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 Mechanics of Cutting
• Mechanical abrasion by localized direct hammering of the abrasive
grains stuck between the vibrating tool and adjacent work
surface.
• The microchipping by free impacts of particles that fly across the
machining gap and strike the workpiece at random locations.
• The work surface erosion by cavitation in the slurry stream. 5%
contribution in material removal
• Chemical corrosion due to slurry media

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 Mechanics of Cutting
• The position A indicates the instant the
tool face touches the abrasive grain.
• The period of movement from A to
B represents the impact.
• The indentations, caused by the grain on
the tool and the work surface at the
extreme bottom position of the tool from
the position A to position B is h (the total
indentation).

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 Main Components of USM
• Ultrasonic Oscillator or
Generator
• Transducer
• Tool holder
• Tool
• Abrasive slurry

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 Components: Power supply and
Transducer
• Ultrasonic Oscillator or Generator:
- Converts electrical energy from low frequency to high
frequency
• Transducer:
- Convert electrical energy to mechanical energy
- High frequency and low amplitude vibration
- Two types: piezoelectric or magneto-strictive type
- Piezoelectric crystals such as Quartz, barium titanate generate a
small electric current when they are compressed and expands
- Magneto-strictive transducer also changes its length when
subjected to a strong magnetic field. These transducers are
made of nickel, or nickel alloy sheets.

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 Components: Tool and Tool Holder
• Tool holder:
- holds and connects the tool to the
transducer.
- Transmits the energy and, in some cases,
amplifies the amplitude of vibration
- The materials for toolholders are Monel,
titanium, and stainless steel.
- Good acoustic properties and high
fatigue strength.
- Should avoid welding between holder
and transducer
• Tool:
- Must have high wear resistance and
fatigue strength.
- Usually made of relatively ductile materials
(brass, stainless steel, mild steel, etc) so
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that the tool wear DSCE
rate can be minimized.
 Components: Abrasive Slurry
•A mixture of fine abrasive grains and water. The abrasive slurry
is circulated between the oscillating tool and workpiece.
•Abrasive grains: boron carbide (B4C), aluminum oxide (Al2O3),
silicon carbide (SiC)
•Abrasive Particles have random sharp edges

Silicon Carbide Aluminum Oxide Boron Carbide

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 Components: Abrasive Slurry

• B4C is the best and most efficient among the rest but it is expensive.
• SiC is used on glass, germanium and most ceramics.
• Diamond dust is used only for cutting Diamond and Rubies.
• Water is the most commonly used fluid although other liquids
such as Benzene, Glycerol and oils are also used

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 Assumptions
•Abrasive particles as spherical in shape
•Abrasive particles are rigid and hard
•All abrasive particles are similar
•All impacts are identical
•Material removal due to cavitation and chemical erosion are
ignored
•Material removed in hemispherical shape per impact
•MRR is proportional to frequency and number of abrasive
particles making impact and volume removed by
particle per cycle
p

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 Advantages
•Machining any materials irrespective of their conductivity
•Machining semi-conductor such as silicon, germanium etc.
•Suitable to precise machining of brittle materials.
•Can drill circular or non-circular holes in very hard materials
•Less stress because of its non-thermal characteristics
•USM does not produce electric, thermal, chemical damage.

Disadvantage
s rate
•Low material removal
•Rapid tool wears
•Machining area and depth limitation
•Not economical for soft materials 33

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 USM Parts

Ceramic holes (mmsonline.com)

Ceramics (bullentech.com)

Holes in Glass (swiftglass.com) Graphite material

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