Login Register Cart 0
Generic placeholder image

Recent Patents on Mechanical Engineering

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 2212-7976
ISSN (Online): 1874-477X

Back
Journal Home About Journal Editorial Board Journal Insight Current Issue Volumes/Issues
Subscribe
Research Article

Development of Ultrasonic Vibration Assisted Micro Electrochemical Discharge Machining Tool

Author(s): Xiaokun Li, Yuankai Ren, Zhiyuan Wei and Yong Liu*

Volume 12, Issue 4, 2019

Page: [313 - 325] Pages: 13

DOI: 10.2174/2212797612666190808101736

Price: $65

Abstract

Background: The fabrication of microstructures with high machining quality is always difficult when it is concerned with non-conductive hard and brittle materials such as glass and engineering ceramics. It is reported in related papers and patents that Electrochemical Discharge Machining (ECDM) process is a good choice for machining non-conductive, hard and brittle materials. However, the machining performance of ECDM process, especially in the aspect of geometric accuracy and surface quality, needs to be greatly improved.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to improve the machining quality of conventional ECDM process by introducing ultrasonic vibration to ECDM process, develop an Ultrasonic Vibration Assisted Micro Electrochemical Discharge Machining (UAECDM) tool, and investigate the improvements of the machining performance by means of comparative experiments.

Methods: Firstly, the machining principle of UAECDM was investigated, and the effects of ultrasonic vibration are discussed with the analysis of the micro process. Secondly, the hardware system, which consists of a machine tool body, XY and Z axes, an ultrasonic spindle system and motion control system, was established; and the software system was developed based on the analysis of the overall workflow of the machining process. Finally, comparative experiments, including ECDM drilling, UAECDM drilling, ECDM milling and UAECDM milling, were carried out to reveal the improvements of the machining quality.

Results: In the UAECDM group, a micro-hole with the inlet diameter of 133.2µm as well as the 3 × 3 array of micro holes was fabricated on the glass workpiece with 300µm thickness, and a microgroove with the width of 119.2µm was successfully milled on the glass workpiece. It is shown in both microscopic photographs and optical measurements that the microstructures fabricated by UAECDM have better machining quality compared with similar microstructures fabricated by ECDM.

Conclusion: Based on comparative experiments and discussions of the results, it has been proved that the machine tool can meet the requirement of the ultrasonic vibration-assisted micro electrochemical discharge machining and can improve the geometric accuracy and surface quality significantly.

Keywords: Electrochemical Discharge Machining (ECDM), geometric accuracy, machining quality, micro cracks, micromachining tool, ultrasonic vibration, surface quality.

« Previous Next »
[1]
Song K, Zhang W. Application of nanofluids to microsphere generation using MEMS technology. Recent Pat Nanotechnol 2013; 7(2): 133-52.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1872210511307020003]
[2]
Wüthrich R, Fascio V. Machining of non-conducting materials using electrochemical discharge phenomenon - an overview. Int J Mach Tools Manuf 2005; 45(09): 1095-108.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmachtools.2004.11.011]
[3]
Li X, Abe T, Liu Y, Esashi M. Fabrication of high-density electrical feed-throughs by deep-reactive-ion etching of Pyrex glass. J MEMS 2002; 11: 625-30.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/JMEMS.2002.805211]
[4]
Tölke R, Bieberle-Hütter A, Evans A, Rupp J, Gauckler L. Processing of Foturan®glass ceramic substrates for micro-solid oxide fuel cells. J Eur Ceram Soc 2012; 32: 3229-38.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2012.04.006]
[5]
Ziaie B, Baldi A, Lei M, Gu Y, Siegel RA. Hard and soft micromachining for BioMEMS: Review of techniques and examples of applications in microfluidics and drug delivery. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2004; 56(2): 145-72.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.addr.2003.09.001]
[6]
Cheema MS, Dvivedi A, Sharma AK. Tool wear studies in fabrication of microchannels in ultrasonic micromachining. Ultrasonics 2015; 57: 57-64.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ultras.2014.10.018]
[7]
Ahmed DH, Naser J, Deam RT. Particles impact characteristics on cuttingsurface during the abrasive water jet machining: Numerical study. J Mater Process Technol 2016; 232: 116-30.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2016.01.032]
[8]
Mishra S, Yadav V. Finite Element (FE) simulation to investigate the effect ofsheet thickness on hole taper and Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) during laser beampercussion drilling of thin aluminium sheet. Lasers Eng 2015; 30(5): 341-61.
[9]
Liang S, Shih AJ. Electrical Discharge Machining Analysis of machining and machine tools. Springer Press 2016; pp. 167-79.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-7645-1_11]
[10]
Chakraborty S, Dey V, Ghosh S. A review on the use of dielectric fluids and their effects in electrical discharge machining characteristics. Precis Eng 2015; 40: 1-6.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.precisioneng.2014.11.003]
[11]
Kurafuji H. Electrical discharge drilling of glass I. Ann CIRP 1968; 6: 415-9.
[12]
Behroozfar AMR, Razfar MR. Experimental and numerical study of material removal in Electrochemical Discharge Machining (ECDM). Mater Manuf Process 2016; 31: 495-503.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10426914.2015.1058951]
[13]
Wuthrich R, Ziki JDA. Micromachining Using Electrochemical Discharge Phenomenon. US: Elsevier Press 2015.
[14]
Wang M. Study on key technology of micro electrochemical discharge machining for glass microstructures.MSc Dissertation. Shandong University, Jinan, P.R. China May 2017.
[15]
Zhang Z, Huang L, Jiang Y, Liu G, Nie X, Lu H. A study to explore the properties of electrochemical discharge effect based on pulse power supply. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 2016; 85: 2107-14.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00170-015-8302-9]
[16]
Goud M, Sharma AK. A three-dimensional finite element simulation approach to analyze material removal in electrochemical discharge machining. Proc Inst Mech Eng, C J Mech Eng Sci 2017; 231(13): 2417-28.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0954406216636167]
[17]
Gupta PK, Bhamu JR, Rajoria CS, Lautre NK, Agarwal V. Effect of duty ratio at different pulse frequency during hole drilling in ceramics using electrochemical discharge machining. MATEC Web Conf 2016; 77(10004): 1-4.
[18]
Liu Y, Wei Z, Wang M, Zhang J. Experimental investigation of micro wire electrochemical discharge machining by using a rotating helical tool. J Manuf Process 2017; 29: 265-71.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jmapro.2017.08.004]
[19]
Zhan Y, Yuan R, Nelson GM. Electroerosion control system and a dual mode control system US8560110. (2013).
[20]
Yu D, Liu J. Tools and methods for grinding assisted ECDM CN102398193. (2012).
[21]
Yan B-H, Chen C-P, Wu KL, Hsu Y-S. Apparatus and method for magnetic field assisted electrochemical discharge machining US8652307. (2014).
[22]
Lu Y, Xie J, Guo R, Li L, Zhou C. An ultrasonic vibration auxiliary discharge grinding device and method CN105458427. (2016).
[23]
Kim B. Apparatus using electrochemical discharge machining process and method using the same US9981401. (2018).
[24]
Coteaţă M, Pop N, Schulze HP, Slătineanu L, Dodun O. Investigation on hybrid electrochemical discharge drilling process using passivating electrolyte. Procedia CIRP 2016; 42: 778-82.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2016.02.318]
[25]
Sun Y, Tang W, Kang X. Electrochemical discharge machining method based on force feedback feeding. Electromach Mould 2015; 3: 31-6.
[26]
Liu Y, Zhang J, Wang M. Ultrasonic vibration assisted micro WCDM method and apparatus CN105269094. (2016).
[27]
Abbas N, Solomon D, Bahari M. A review on current research trends in electrical discharge machining (EDM). Int J Mach Tools Manuf 2007; 47: 1214-28.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmachtools.2006.08.026]
[28]
Hwang DJ, Choi TY, Grigoropoulos CP. Liquid-assisted femtosecond laser drilling of straight and three-dimensional microchannels in glass. Appl Phys, A Mater Sci Process 2004; 79: 605-12.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00339-004-2547-8]
[29]
Hwang DJ, Choi TY, Grigoropoulos CP. Liquid-assisted femtosecond laser drilling of straight and three-dimensional microchannels in glass. Appl Phys, A Mater Sci Process 2004; 79: 605-12.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00339-004-2547-8]
[30]
Elhami S, Razfar MR. Analytical and experimental study on the integration of ultrasonically vibrated tool into the micro electro-chemical discharge drilling. Precis Eng 2017; 47: 424-33.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.precisioneng.2016.09.015]
[31]
Bhattacharyya B, Doloi BN, Sorkhel SK. Experimental investigations into electrochemical discharge machining (ECDM) of non-conductive ceramic materials. J Mater Process Technol 1999; 95: 145-54.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0924-0136(99)00318-0]
[32]
Wüthrich R, Spaelter U, Bleuler H. The current signal in Spark Assisted Chemical Engraving (SACE), what does it tell us? J Micromech Microeng 2006; 16(04): 779-85.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0960-1317/16/4/014]
[33]
Elhami S, Razfar MR. Study of the current signal and material removal during ultrasonic-assisted electrochemical discharge machining. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 2017; 92: 1-9.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00170-017-0224-2]
[34]
Jiang B, Lan S, Wilt K, Ni J. Modeling and experimental investigation of gas film in micro-electrochemical discharge machining process. Int J Mach Tools Manuf 2015; 90: 8-15.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmachtools.2014.11.006]
[35]
Rusli M, Furutani K. Performance of micro-hole drilling by ultrasonic-assisted electro-chemical discharge machining. Adv Mat Res 2012; 445: 865-70.
[36]
Goud M, Sharma AK, Jawalkar C. A review on material removal mechanism in Electrochemical Discharge Machining (ECDM) and possibilities to enhance the material removal rate. Precis Eng 2016; 45: 1-17.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.precisioneng.2016.01.007]
[37]
Wang M, Zhang J, Liu Y, Li M. Investigation of micro electrochemical discharge machining tool with high efficiency. Recent Pat Eng 2016; 10(2): 146-53.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1872212110666160617102022]
[38]
Zhu Y, Yan W, Zhang W, Xia J, Pan X. Experimental research on the influence of low conductive electrolyte on technological effect in electrochemical arc machining. J Suzhou Univ Sci Technol 2013; 26(1): 76-80.
[39]
Cao X, Kim B, Chu C. Miro-structuring of glass with features less than 100um by electrochemical discharge machining. Precis Eng 2009; 33: 459-65.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.precisioneng.2009.01.001]

Rights & Permissions Print Cite
Article Metrics
28
6
© 2024 Bentham Science Publishers | Privacy Policy