Introduction

Modern Manufacturing Technology

Ms Shikha Kashyap
Assistant Professor
Dept of Mechanical Engineering
The NorthCap University, Gurgaon

Need For Unconventional Machining Methods

Last few decades have witnessed a rapid growth in the development of

harder and difficult to machine metal and alloys.

It has been realized that such materials are difficult to machine by

conventional methods, and therefore their machining is not only costly
but also results into poor surface finish and shorter tool life.

To overcome these difficulties a number of Newer Machining Methods

have been developed.

Machining of intricate and complicated shapes, thin and fragile

components and accurate and economical forming of very hard, high
strength materials which are being extensively used in aerospace and
nuclear industries, have forced the scientists, engineers and
technologists to search for new techniques of machining which can
readily provide an effective solution to these problems.

As a result of research and development for the last fifty years or so,
several new methods of machining have emerged which can be
grouped under the name of:

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Unconventional machining methods, or

Non-traditional machining methods, or

Physical machining process, or

New technologies, or

Modern machining methods

Characteristic features of modern machining processes

that
distinguish them from conventional machining processes:

The following are the characteristic features of non-traditional

machining processes when compared with traditional or conventional
machining processes:

Material is removed from the work piece without mechanical contact

(with work piece).

In many processes, material removal rate is independent of the

hardness of the work piece.

Cutting forces are independent of the hardness of the work material.

The tool material need not be harder than the work material.( In
many cases, softer materials can be used as tool material)

Almost any work material irrespective of its hardness and strength

can be machined.

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Generally tool wear is negligible; hence tool wear is not a problem.

No burr is left on the work piece.

Generally no residual stresses are left on the surfaces machined.

In most of the cases entire shape can be obtained in one stage or in

one setting. This is possible since material removal takes place
uniformly over the entire area below the tool simultaneously.

In majority of cases surface integrity" (Surface integrity is the

surface condition of a work piece after being modified by a
process.) of the surfaces produced by modern machining methods is
superior.

Modern machining methods can be integrated easily with microprocessors and numeric controls for better control of the processes
and for improving the versatility and productivity of the machines.

Intricately shaped contours and fine machining of precision holes

are possible.

Basic Principle of New Machining Methods

The basic principle of machining by these new methods is to

apply some form of energy to the work piece directly without
almost any physical contact between the tool and the work piece
and have the desired shape by material removal from the work
piece.

Different forms of energy applied to the work piece are:

1) Mechanical Energy
2) Electrical (Electro-chemical energy)
3) Thermal Energy
4) Chemical Energy

The actual mechanism or mode of metal removal for different

processes are given below:

Predominant Mechanism of
Metal Removal

Machining Process
1.

Shear failure of work

material

2.

Erosion of work material.

2.

Abrasive jet machining (AJM) 3.

Erosion of work material.

3.

Ultrasonic Machining

Cavitation phenomenon.

4.

Chemical Machining

1.

Conventional Machining
Process (e.g. turning, milling,
drilling)

4.

Etching

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5.

Electrochemical
Machining

6.

Electrochemical
Grinding

7.

Spark Erosion
Machining

8.

Electron beam
machining

9.

Laser beam machining

10.

Ion beam machining

11.

Plasma Arc Machining

5.

Ion Displacement

6.

Ion Displacement, Erosion

of work material (due to
grinding action of abrasive
wheel)

7.

Vaporization of work metal

8.

Vaporization of work metal

9.

Vaporization of work metal

10.

Vaporization of work metal

11.

Fusion of work metal

Advantages of Non-traditional

Material removed without mechanical contact with the work piece.

(ECM, EDM,LBM,CHM)

Material removal rate is independent of work piece hardness. (ECM,

EDM,LBM)

Cutting forces are independent of work piece hardness. (ECM,

EDM,LBM,CHM)

Tool material need not be harder than work piece material. (ECM,
EDM,LBM,CHM,USM)

Tool wear is not a problem. (ECM, LBM,CHM)

Ability to machine any material. (LBM)

Burr-free machining. (ECM,EDM,CHM)

Stress-free machining. (ECM, ECG, CHM)

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Uniform material removal over the entire area below the tool
surface simultaneously. (ECM,CHM)

Superior surface integrity possible. (ECM,CHM,ECG)

Intricately shaped, very hard and fragile materials can be

machined. (USM)

Finely focused micro-machining possible. (EDM,LBM,EBM)

Easy compatibility with numeric control and computer controls.

(EDM,LBM,EBM,ECM)

Limitations of Non-traditional Machining Processes

All modern machining processes are generally costly. Their
specific power consumption(kW/cm3/min) is quite high. The
following are some of the specific limitations of the nontraditional machining process:

Work piece and tool must be electrically conductive (EDM,ECM)

Depth of hole drilled is limited. (LBM)

Heat-affected zones
(EDM,LBM,EBM)

(HAZ)

produced

are

not

desirable.

For this purpose the compatibility of the process with the

metallurgical state of the work piece material can be studied before
using a particular non-traditional machining process for production
work.

There may be taper in the sidewalls of holes or cavities

(EDM,LBM)
Most of these limitations can be overcome and controlled, that the
advantages can be obtained with good product quality assurance.

Classification of new machining methods

The classification is done on the basis of the type of energy used
I the working zone for material removal action. Four distinct
type of energy used are:

Mechanical Energy

Electrical Energy (Electro-chemical energy)

Thermal Energy (Thermo- electric energy)

Chemical Energy

Mechanical Energy

Conventional machining

Abrasive Jet Machining (AJM)

Water Jet machining (WJM)

Ultrasonic machining (USM)

Electrical Energy

Electro-chemical machining

Electro-chemical grinding

Electro-chemical Deburring

Electro-chemical Honing

Thermal Energy

Spark erosion machining or Electro-discharge machining (EDM)

Electron-Beam machining (EBM)

Ion-Beam machining

Laser-Beam machining

Plasma-Arc machining

Chemical Energy

Chemical machining
Electro-polishing
Photo-chemical machining

Abbreviations used for Unconventional Machining Methods

USM - Ultrasonic machining
ECM - Electro-chemical machining
AJM - Abrasive Jet Machining
EDM - Electro-discharge machining
LBM - Laser-Beam machining
EBM Electron-Beam machining
PAM Plasma-Arc machining
ECG Electrochemical grinding

Thank you