UNIT-5

THERMAL ENERGY BASED PROCESSES

Introduction
 In these methods, heat energy is concentrated on a small area of the work piece to melt
and vaporize the tiny bits of work material.
 The required shape is obtained by the continued repetition of this process.

Examples:
 Electron Beam Machining (EBM)
 Laser Beam Machining (LBM)
 Plasma Arc Machining (PAM)

ELECTRON BEAM MACHINING (EBM)

 In electron beam machining process , high velocity focused beam of electrons are used
to remove the metal from work piece.
  EDM can be used only for electrically conductive materials, and its performance is not
substantially affected by mechanical, physical and metallurgical properties of work piece
material.
 It can perform various kinds of operations such as drilling, cutting, 3D shaping and sizing
(wire EDM) and spark-assisted grinding (EDDG).
 It gives good repeatability and accuracy of the order of 25–125 μm. The tolerances that
can be achieved are ±2.5 μm.
 This has been used to produce as good as 100:1 aspect ratio holes. Under normal
conditions, the volumetric material removal rate (MRRv) is in the range of 0.1–10
mm3/min.
 The surface finish produced during EDM is usually in the range 0.8–3 μm, depending
upon the machining conditions used.
 The machined surface normally has a recast layer which should be removed before
fitting the part into the assembly or sub-assembly.
 It is commonly used for making hardened steel dies and moulds and has numerous
applications in various types of industries.

Advantages

 It is excellent process for micro machining.

 Very small holes can be machined in any type of material to high accuracy.
 Holes of different sizes and shapes can be machined.
 Electrical conductor material can be machined.

LASER BEAM MACHINING (LBM):-

Principle:-

 The word LASER (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of

Radiation).
 Laser is an electromagnetic radiation.
 It’s a beam of light having the same wave length. (Monochromatic light).
 This beam can be focused by a lens on a very small spot on a workpiece.
 The laser beam emits high heat which can melt and vapourise any
material in the world.
Construction & Working:-
 The equipment has a ruby crystal.
 The crystal is placed inside a flash lamp coil (1000 W).
 The flash lamp is filled with Xenon gas.
 When the flash lamp is switched on, it gives the high intensity light.
 The ruby crystal is simulated and it emits the laser beam.
 By using a lense, the beam is focused on the workpiece.
 The workpiece is fed past the beam.
 The portion of the metal is melted and vapourised.

Applications:-
  Laser beam machining is a micro machining method. It is used for
producing very fine and minute holes (0.005mm).
 It is used for drilling in small nozzle, orifices in very hard materials.
 Laser beams can be used in surgery.
 Used for drilling holes in surgical needles, oil or gas orifices and relief holes in
pressure plugs.
 Used for cutting complex profiles in thin and hard materials like ceramics.

Advantages:-
 It can melt and vapourise any known material.
 Precision location can be achieved.
 There is no tool wear.
 Can be used for machining materials that are less sensitive to heat like
ceramics.
 No mechanical force on the workpieces.
 It can machine both metals and non-metals.
 Holes can easily be drilled on curved or angular surfaces.
 The holes are burr free.
 No direct contact with workpiece, so heat is extremely localized.

Disadvantages:-
 High cost.
 Large amount of metal removal is not possible.
 It can’t be used for cutting metal of high heat conductivity or high reflectivity.
(Eg. Al, Cu, and their alloys).
 Life of flash lamp is hort.
 Machined holes will not be perfectly round.
 Efficiency of the process is low.
 The laser beam can be dangerous if it is not used carefully.
 The higher vaporization materials can’t be machined by this process.

PLASMA ARC MACHINING (PAM):-

Principle:-
 When a flowing gas is heated to a very high temperature (abut 1600ºC) it
becomes partially ionized.
 This ionized gas is known as plasma.
 In this method Metal is removed from the workpiece surface by means of
high temperature plasma. Metal is also removed due to electron
bombardment (attack).
Construction:-
 This equipment has a gas chamber with a copper nozzle at the bottom.
 A tungsten electrode is held vertically in the gas chamber.
 The tungsten electrode is connected to the –ve terminal of a 400 V, 200
kW D.C. supply.
 The nozzle is connected to the +ve the terminal.

Working:-
 When the D.C. supply is given an arc is produced between the tungsten
electrode (cathode) and the copper nozzle (anode).
 A di-atomic gas, usually H2, N2 or O2 is passed through the gas chamber.
 The gas passes through the arc. It is heated and gets ionized by the arc
because of the high temperature.
  The ionized gas flows out of the nozzle as plasma flame.
 The plasma flame is forced on the work surface. Because of the high
temperature of the gas, the surface of the workpiece gets melted.
 Due to the bombardment of ions on the surface of the workpiece, the metal
is eroded.
 The rate of metal removal can be increased by increasing the gas flow.
 Nozzle is water cooled. In due course, the tungsten electrode tip gets
eroded due to high temperature.
 So the position of the electrode has to be adjusted

Applications:-
 Used of cutting stainless steel and aluminum alloys.
 Used for profile cutting and slitting in hard materials such as super alloy
steels.

Advantages:-
 This process can be used to cut any metal.
 The cutting action is very fast.
 It is possible to cut thick material upto 150mm.

Disadvantages:-
 Because of the high heat, metallurgical change takes place on the work
pieces.
 The process is unsafe, safety precautions are necessary.

Types of plasma arc torches

 Direct arc plasma torches (or) Transferred arc type.
 Indirect arc plasma torches (or) Non transferred arc type.

DIRECT ARC PLASMA TORCH

 In direct arc plasma torches, electrode is connected to the negative terminal
of a D.C power supply and work piece is connected to the positive terminal of
a D.C supply.
 In direct arc plasma torches, electrode is connected to the negative terminal of a D.C
power supply and work piece is connected to the positive terminal (anode) of a D.C
power supply.
 Since it is difficult to strike an arc between the electrode and work piece directly
through the narrow torch passage, and the nozzle.