Non Traditional Manufacturing Processes Introduction Non-traditional manufacturing processes is defined as a group of processes that remove excess material

by various techniques involving mechanical, thermal, electrical or chemical energy or combinations of these energies but do not use a sharp cutting tools as it needs to be used for traditional manufacturing processes. Extremely hard and brittle materials are difficult to machine by traditional machining processes such as turning, drilling, shaping and milling. Non traditional machining processes, also called advanced manufacturing processes, are employed where traditional machining processes are not feasible, satisfactory or economical due to special reasons as outlined below. Very hard fragile materials difficult to clamp for traditional machining When the wor piece is too flexible or slender When the shape of the part is too complex

!everal types of non-traditional machining processes have been developed to meet extra required machining conditions. When these processes are employed properly, they offer many advantages over non-traditional machining processes. "he common non-traditional machining processes are described in this section. Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) Electrical discharge machining #E$%& is one of the most widely used non-traditional machining processes. "he main attraction of E$% over traditional machining processes such as metal cutting using different tools and grinding is that this technique utilises thermoelectric process to erode undesired materials from the wor piece by a series of discrete electrical spar s between the wor piece and the electrode. ' picture of E$% machine in operation is shown in (igure ).

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(igure )* Electrical discharge machine "he traditional machining processes rely on harder tool or abrasive material to remove the softer material whereas non-traditional machining processes such as E$% uses electrical spar or thermal energy to erode unwanted material in order to create desired shape. !o, the hardness of the material is no longer a dominating factor for E$% process. ' schematic of an E$% process is shown in (igure +, where the tool and the wor piece are immersed in a dielectric fluid.

(igure +* !chematic of E$% process E$% removes material by discharging an electrical current, normally stored in a capacitor ban , across a small gap between the tool #cathode& and the wor piece #anode& typically in the order of ,- volts.)-amps.
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Application of EDM "he E$% process has the ability to machine hard, difficult-to-machine materials. /arts with complex, precise and irregular shapes for forging, press tools, extrusion dies, difficult internal shapes for aerospace and medical applications can be made by E$% process. !ome of the shapes made by E$% process are shown in (igure 0.

(igure 0* $ifficult internal parts made by E$% process Working principle of EDM 's shown in (igure ), at the beginning of E$% operation, a high voltage is applied across the narrow gap between the electrode and the wor piece. "his high voltage induces an electric field in the insulating dielectric that is present in narrow gap between electrode and wor piece. "his cause conducting particles suspended in the dielectric to concentrate at the points of strongest electrical field. When the potential difference between the electrode and the wor piece is sufficiently high, the dielectric brea s down and a transient spar discharges through the dielectric fluid, removing small amount of material from the wor piece surface. "he volume of the material removed per spar discharge is typically in the range of )--1 to )-1

mm0.

"he material removal rate, %22, in E$% is calculated by the following foumula* MRR = 40 I / Tm 1.23 (cm3/min) Where, I is the current amp, Tm is the melting temperature of wor piece in -3

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Advantages of EDM "he main advantages of $% are* 4y this process, materials of any hardness can be machined5 No burrs are left in machined surface5 6ne of the main advantages of this process is that thin and fragile.brittle components can be machined without distortion5 3omplex internal shapes can be machined

Li itations of EDM "he main limitations of this process are* "his process can only be employed in electrically conductive materials5 %aterial removal rate is low and the process overall is slow compared to conventional machining processes5 7nwanted erosion and over cutting of material can occur5 2ough surface finish when at high rates of material removal.

Dielectric fluids $ielectric fluids used in E$% process are hydrocarbon oils, erosene and deionised water. "he functions of the dielectric fluid are to* 'ct as an insulator between the tool and the wor piece. 'ct as coolant. 'ct as a flushing medium for the removal of the chips.

"he electrodes for E$% process usually are made of graphite, brass, copper and coppertungsten alloys. $esign considerations for E$% process are as follows* $eep slots and narrow openings should be avoided. "he surface smoothness value should not be specified too fine.

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2ough cut should be done by other machining process. 6nly finishing operation should be done in this process as %22 for this process is low.

Wire EDM E$%, primarily, exists commercially in the form of die-sin ing machines and wire-cutting machines #Wire E$%&. "he concept of wire E$% is shown in (igure 8. 9n this process, a slowly moving wire travels along a prescribed path and removes material from the wor piece. Wire E$% uses electro-thermal mechanisms to cut electrically conductive materials. "he material is removed by a series of discrete discharges between the wire electrode and the wor piece in the presence of dieelectirc fluid, which creates a path for each discharge as the fluid becomes ioni:ed in the gap. "he area where discharge ta es place is heated to extremely high temperature, so that the surface is melted and removed. "he removed particles are flushed away by the flowing dielectric fluids. "he wire E$% process can cut intricate components for the electric and aerospace industries. "his non-traditional machining process is widely used to pattern tool steel for die manufacturing.

(igure 8* Wire erosion of an extrusion die

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"he wires for wire E$% is made of brass, copper, tungsten, molybdenum. ;inc or brass coated wires are also used extensively in this process. "he wire used in this process should posses high tensile strength and good electrical conductivity. Wire E$% can also employ to cut cylindrical ob<ects with high precision. "he spar ed eroded extrusion dies are presented in (igure ,.

(igure ,* !par ed eroded extrusion dies "his process is usually used in con<unction with 3N3 and will only wor when a part is to be cut completely through. "he melting temperature of the parts to be machined is an important parameter for this process rather than strength or hardness. "he surface quality and %22 of the machined surface by wire E$% will depend on different machining parameters such as applied pea current, and wire materials.

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!he ical Machining (!M) Introduction 3hemical machining #3%& is the controlled dissolution of wor piece material #etching& by means of a strong chemical reagent #etchant&. 9n 3% material is removed from selected areas of wor piece by immersing it in a chemical reagents or etchants5 such as acids and al aline solutions. %aterial is removed by microscopic electrochemical cell action, as occurs in corrosion or chemical dissolution of a metal. "his controlled chemical dissolution will simultaneously etch all exposed surfaces even though the penetration rates of the material removal may be only -.--+,=-.) mm.min. "he basic process ta es many forms* chemical milling of poc ets, contours, overall metal removal, chemical blan ing for etching through thin sheets5 photochemical machining #pcm& for etching by using of photosensitive resists in microelectronics5 chemical or electrochemical polishing where wea chemical reagents are used #sometimes with remote electric assist& for polishing or deburring and chemical <et machining where a single chemically active <et is used. ' schematic of chemical machining process is shown in (igure 1.

(igure 1* #a& !chematic of chemical machining process #b& !tages in producing a profiled cavity by chemical machining #>alpa <ain ? !chmid& !he ical illing

9n chemical milling, shallow cavities are produced on plates, sheets, forgings and extrusions. "he two ey materials used in chemical milling process are etchant and mas ant. Etchants are acid or al aline solutions maintained within controlled ranges of chemical composition and temperature. %as ants are specially designed elastomeric products that are hand strippable and chemically resistant to the harsh etchants.
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"teps in che ical

illing

2esidual stress relieving* 9f the part to be machined has residual stresses from the previous processing, these stresses first should be relieved in order to prevent warping after chemical milling.

/reparing* "he surfaces are degreased and cleaned thoroughly to ensure both good adhesion of the mas ing material and the uniform material removal. %as ing* %as ing material is applied #coating or protecting areas not to be etched&. Etching* "he exposed surfaces are machined chemically with etchants. $emas ing* 'fter machining, the parts should be washed thoroughly to prevent further reactions with or exposure to any etchant residues. "hen the rest of the mas ing material is removed and the part is cleaned and inspected.

Applications# 3hemical milling is used in the aerospace industry to remove shallow layers of material from large aircraft components missile s in panels #(igure @&, extruded parts for airframes.

(igure @* %issile s in-panel section contoured by chemical milling to improve the stiffness- to- weight ratio of the part #>alpa <ain ? !chmid&

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Electroche ical Machining (E!M) Introduction Electrochemical machining #E3%& is a metal-removal process based on the principle of reverse electroplating. 9n this process, particles travel from the anodic material #wor piece& toward the cathodic material #machining tool&. ' current of electrolyte fluid carries away the deplated material before it has a chance to reach the machining tool. "he cavity produced is the female mating image of the tool shape.

(igure A* E3% process

!imilar to E$%, the wor piece hardness is not a factor, ma ing E3% suitable for machining difficult-to =machine materials. $ifficult shapes can be made by this process on materials regardless of their hardness. ' schematic representation of E3% process is shown in (igure A. "he E3% tool is positioned very close to the wor piece and a low voltage, high amperage $3 current is passed between the wor piece and electrode. !ome of the shapes made by E3% process is shown in (igure B.

(igure B* /arts made by E3%

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Advantages of E!M "he components are not sub<ect to either thermal or mechanical stress. No tool wear during E3% process. (ragile parts can be machined easily as there is no stress involved. E3% deburring can debur difficult to access areas of parts. Cigh surface finish #up to +, Dm in& can be achieved by E3% process. 3omplex geometrical shapes in high-strength materials particularly in the aerospace industry for the mass production of turbine blades, <et-engine parts and no::les can be machined repeatedly and accurately. $eep holes can be made by this process.

Li itations of E!M E3% is not suitable to produce sharp square corners or flat bottoms because of the tendency for the electrolyte to erode away sharp profiles. E3% can be applied to most metals but, due to the high equipment costs, is usually used primarily for highly specialised applications.

%aterial removal rate, %22, in electrochemical machining* %22 E 3 .9. h #cm0.min&

3* specific #material& removal rate #e.g., -.+-,+ cm0.amp-min for nic el&5 9* current #amp&5 h* current efficiency #B-=)--F&. "he rates at which metal can electrochemically remove are in proportion to the current passed through the electrolyte and the elapsed time for that operation. %any factors other than current influence the rate of machining. "hese involve electrolyte type, rate of electrolyte flow, and some other process conditions.

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$ltrasonic Machining ($"M) Introduction 7!% is mechanical material removal process or an abrasive process used to erode holes or cavities on hard or brittle wor piece by using shaped tools, high frequency mechanical motion and an abrasive slurry. 7!% offers a solution to the expanding need for machining brittle materials such as single crystals, glasses and polycrystalline ceramics, and increasing complex operations to provide intricate shapes and wor piece profiles. 9t is therefore used extensively in machining hard and brittle materials that are difficult to machine by traditional manufacturing processes. "he hard particles in slurry are accelerated toward the surface of the wor piece by a tool oscillating at a frequency up to )-- >C: - through repeated abrasions, the tool machines a cavity of a cross section identical to its own. ' schematic representation of 7!% is shown in (igure )-.

(igure )-* !chematic of ultrasonic machine tool 7!% is primarily targeted for the machining of hard and brittle materials #dielectric or conductive& such as boron carbide, ceramics, titanium carbides, rubies, quart: etc. 7!% is a versatile machining process as far as properties of materials are concerned. "his process is able to effectively machine all materials whether they are electrically conductive or insulator. (or an effective cutting operation, the following parameters need to be carefully considered* "he machining tool must be selected to be highly wear resistant, such as high-carbon steels. "he abrasives #+,-1- m in dia.& in the #water-based, up to 8-F solid volume& slurry includes* 4oron carbide, silicon carbide and aluminum oxide. Applications
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"he beauty of 7!% is that it can ma e non round shapes in hard and brittle materials. 7ltrasonically machined non round-hole part is shown in (igure )).

(igure ))* ' non-round hole made by 7!% Advantage of $"M $"M process is a non-thermal, non-chemical, creates no changes in the microstructures, chemical or physical properties of the wor piece and offers virtually stress free machined surfaces. 'ny materials can be machined regardless of their electrical conductivity Especially suitable for machining of brittle materials %achined parts by 7!% possess better surface finish and higher structural integrity. 7!% does not produce thermal, electrical and chemical abnormal surface

"o e disadvantages of $"M 7!% has higher power consumption and lower material-removal rates than traditional fabrication processes. "ool wears fast in 7!%. %achining area and depth is restraint in 7!%.

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Laser%&ea Introduction

Machining (L&M)

Gaser-beam machining is a thermal material-removal process that utili:es a high-energy, coherent light beam to melt and vapori:e particles on the surface of metallic and non-metallic wor pieces. Gasers can be used to cut, drill, weld and mar . G4% is particularly suitable for ma ing accurately placed holes. ' schematic of laser beam machining is shown in (igure )+. $ifferent types of lasers are available for manufacturing operations which are as follows* 36+ #pulsed or continuous wave&* 9t is a gas laser that emits light in the infrared region. 9t can provide up to +, W in continuous-wave mode. Nd*H'I* Neodymium-doped Httrium-'luminum-Iarnet #H0'l,6)+& laser is a solidstate laser which can deliver light through a fibre-optic cable. 9t can provide up to ,W power in pulsed mode and ) W in continuous-wave mode.

(igure )+* Gaser beam machining schematic Applications G4% can ma e very accurate holes as small as -.--, mm in refractory metals ceramics, and composite material without warping the wor pieces. "his process is used widely for drilling and cutting of metallic and non-metallic materials. Gaser beam machining is being used extensively in the electronic and automotive industries.

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Laser 'ea

cutting (drilling)

9n drilling, energy transferred #e.g., via a Nd*H'I laser& into the wor piece melts the material at the point of contact, which subsequently changes into a plasma and leaves the region.

' gas <et #typically, oxygen& can further facilitate this phase transformation and departure of material removed. Gaser drilling should be targeted for hard materials and hole geometries that are difficult to achieve with other methods.

' typical !E% micrograph hole drilled by laser beam machining process employed in ma ing a hole is shown in (igure )0.

(igure )0* !E% micrograph hole drilled in +,- micro meter thic !ilicon Nitride with 0rd harmonic Nd* H'I laser Laser 'ea cutting ( illing)

' laser spot reflected onto the surface of a wor piece travels along a prescribed tra<ectory and cuts into the material. 3ontinuous-wave mode #36+& gas lasers are very suitable for laser cutting providing high-average power, yielding high material-removal rates, and smooth cutting surfaces.

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Advantage of laser cutting No limit to cutting path as the laser point can move any path. "he process is stress less allowing very fragile materials to be laser cut without any support. Very hard and abrasive material can be cut. !tic y materials are also can be cut by this process. 9t is a cost effective and flexible process. Cigh accuracy parts can be machined. No cutting lubricants required No tool wear Narrow heat effected :one

Li itations of laser cutting 7neconomic on high volumes compared to stamping Gimitations on thic ness due to taper Cigh capital cost Cigh maintenance cost 'ssist or cover gas required

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Water (et !utting Introduction Water <et cutting can reduce the costs and speed up the processes by eliminating or reducing expensive secondary machining process. !ince no heat is applied on the materials, cut edges are clean with minimal burr. /roblems such as crac ed edge defects, crystalisation, hardening, reduced wealdability and machinability are reduced in this process. Water <et technology uses the principle of pressurising water to extremely high pressures, and allowing the water to escape through a very small opening called JorificeK or J<ewelK. Water <et cutting uses the beam of water exiting the orifice to cut soft materials. "his method is not suitable for cutting hard materials. "he inlet water is typically pressurised between )0-- = 8--- bars. "his high pressure is forced through a tiny hole in the <ewel, which is typically o.)A to -.8 mm in diameter. ' picture of water <et machining process is shown in (igure )8.

(igure )8* Water <et cutting (http*..www.water<ets.org.aboutLabrasive<ets.html)

Applications Water <et cutting is mostly used to cut lower strength materials such as wood, plastics and aluminium. When abrasives are added, #abrasive water <et cutting& stronger materials such as steel and tool steel can be cut.

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Advantages of )ater *et cutting "here is no heat generated in water <et cutting5 which is especially useful for cutting tool steel and other metals where excessive heat may change the properties of the material. 7nli e machining or grinding, water <et cutting does not produce any dust or particles that are harmful if inhaled. 6ther advantages are similar to abrasive water <et cutting

Disadvantages of )ater *et cutting 6ne of the main disadvantages of water <et cutting is that a limited number of materials can be cut economically. "hic parts cannot be cut by this process economically and accurately "aper is also a problem with water <et cutting in very thic materials. "aper is when the <et exits the part at different angle than it enters the part, and cause dimensional inaccuracy.

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A'rasive Water+(et !utting Introduction 'brasive water <et cutting is an extended version of water <et cutting5 in which the water <et contains abrasive particles such as silicon carbide or aluminium oxide in order to increase the material removal rate above that of water <et machining. 'lmost any type of material ranging from hard brittle materials such as ceramics, metals and glass to extremely soft materials such as foam and rubbers can be cut by abrasive water <et cutting. "he narrow cutting stream and computer controlled movement enables this process to produce parts accurately and efficiently. "his machining process is especially ideal for cutting materials that cannot be cut by laser or thermal cut. %etallic, non-metallic and advanced composite materials of various thic nesses can be cut by this process. "his process is particularly suitable for heat sensitive materials that cannot be machined by processes that produce heat while machining. "he schematic of abrasive water <et cutting is shown in (igure ), which is similar to water <et cutting apart from some more features underneath the <ewel5 namely abrasive, guard and mixing tube. 9n this process, high velocity water exiting the <ewel creates a vacuum which suc s abrasive from the abrasive line, which mixes with the water in the mixing tube to form a high velocity beam of abrasives.

1. (igure ),* 'brasive water <et machining #http*..www.water<ets.org.aboutLabrasive<ets.html) -18-

Applications 'brasive water <et cutting is highly used in aerospace, automotive and electronics industries. 9n aerospace industries, parts such as titanium bodies for military aircrafts, engine components #aluminium, titanium, heat resistant alloys&, aluminium body parts and interior cabin parts are made using abrasive water <et cutting. 9n automotive industries, parts li e interior trim #head liners, trun liners, door panels& and fibre glass body components and bumpers are made by this process. !imilarly, in electronics industries, circuit boards and cable stripping are made by abrasive water <et cutting. Advantages of a'rasive )ater *et cutting 9n most of the cases, no secondary finishing required No cutter induced distortion Gow cutting forces on wor pieces Gimited tooling requirements Gittle to no cutting burr "ypical finish )+,-+,- microns !maller erf si:e reduces material wastages No heat affected :one Gocalises structural changes No cutter induced metal contamination Eliminates thermal distortion No slag or cutting dross /recise, multi plane cutting of contours, shapes, and bevels of any angle.

Li itations of a'rasive )ater *et cutting 3annot drill flat bottom 3annot cut materials that degrades quic ly with moisture
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!urface finish degrades at higher cut speeds which are frequently used for rough cutting. "he ma<or disadvantages of abrasive water <et cutting are high capital cost and high noise levels during operation.

' component cut by abrasive water <et cutting is shown in (igure )1. 's it can be seen, large parts can but cut with very narrow erf which reduces material wastages. "he complex shape part made by abrasive water <et cutting is shown in (igure )@.

(igure )1* 'brasive water <et cutting

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(igure )@* !teel gear and rac cut with an abrasive water <et

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,eferences 2. %anufacturing Engineering and "echnology (ifth Edition - !erope >alpa <ian and !teven 2 !schmid. #/rentice Call&, +--1. 3. %anufacturing "echnology, Volume +. 2 G "imings ? ! / Wil inson #Gongman& +---. 4. %anufacturing /rocesses and Equipment = Ieorge "lusty #/rentice Call&. 5. E. /aul $eIarmo, M.". 4lac , 2.'. >ohsern, %aterials and /rocesses in %anufacturing, Ath ed., /rentice-Call, Englewood 3liffs, NM, )BB@, pp. B8)=B8@. 6. 3hemical %achining, %etals Candboo , vol. 0, %achining, Ath ed., 'merican !ociety for %etals, %etals /ar , 6C, pp. +8-=+8A. 7. http*..www.dimeg.unipd.it.didattica.0).ALNonLconventional.pdf 8. www.eng.morgan.edu 9. http*..www.answers.com.topic.electrical-discharge-machining
10. http*..www.exitech.co.u .pdf(iles.%icroholeF+-$rillingF+-usingF+-2eshaped

F+-/ulsedF+-IaussianF+-GaserF+-4eam.pdf
11. http*..www.google.co.u .searchN

qEultrasonicOmachiningOpicture?hlEen?startE)-?saEN
12. http*..www.ebtecwelding.com.water<et-cutting.w<etlimitations.html 13. http*..www.water<ets.org.aboutLabrasive<ets.html 14. http*..www.water<ets.org.index.html

Gecture notes on non-traditional machining processes by* $r. C. N. $ha al Gecturer in %echanical and %arine Engineering, !chool of Engineering, 7niversity of /lymouth 6ctober +--@

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