MODULE-4

3 MARKS QUESTIONS
1) Explain the applications of LIGA process
• MEMS Components
• Sensors
• Actuators
• Micro Optical Components
• Components such as micro lenses, mirrors, and filters
2) Write a note on Elastic Emission Machining.
• A process of machining where material is removed by the elastic fracture without plastic
deformation in the order of atomic size is called EEM.
• Using ultra fine particles to collide with the work piece surface, it may be possible to
finish the surface in the atomic scale.
• The ultra fine abrasive particles mechanically hit the workpiece top surface atoms and
remove them individually or in a group by elastic fracture without plastic deformation at
atomic scale.
• EEM processing is conducted in a machining slurry in which ultra fine powder particles
(ZrO2 or Al2O3) are suspended in pure water.
• The removal process in EEM solely depends on the contact between powder particles and
the work piece surface.
• Fine powder particles are brought to the work piece surface by a flow of pure water, and
the reaction between the medium and the surfaces of the work piece results in the
removal of surface atoms from the work piece
• A rotating sphere is used as a tool in EEM.
• The rotation of the sphere close to the work piece surface produces the flow of slurry
with dynamic pressure at the gap.
• This enables the powder particles to attack the surface while maintaining the noncontact
state between both surfaces.
• Each abrasive particle removes several atoms after coming in contact with the workpiece
surface.
• The force exerted by the abrasives on the atoms is more than their bonding force, then
atom will remove.
 • The abrasive grain size is in micro-nano range.
• The material removal can occur on atomic size units, then the finish generated can be
close to the order of atomic dimensions (0.2 nm to 0.4 nm).

3) Write any six material addition process in Additive Manufacturing

• Stereolithography (SLA)
• Selective laser sintering (SLS)
• Selective inkjet binding
• Fused deposition modeling(FDM)
• Laminated object manufacturing (LOM)
• Laser engineered net shaping (LENS)
• LIGA process
4) Explain the laser welding process
• Laser beam welding (LBW) is a welding technique used to join pieces of metal or
thermoplastics using a laser.
• A strong laser beam is focused on to the work joining surface, fusion take place
and the weld is accomplished due to concentrated heat produced.
• The beam provides a concentrated heat source, allowing for narrow, deep welds
and high welding rates.
• The process is frequently used in high volume applications using automation,
such as in the automotive industry.
• It is based on keyhole or penetration mode welding
• Laser beam welding can be successfully used to join many metals to themselves
as well as to dissimilar metals.
 • Main applications are related to welding steels, titanium, and nickel alloys.
• Laser welding operates in two fundamentally different modes.
• Conduction limited welding and keyhole welding.
• The mode of welding will depend on the power density across the laser beam
hitting the workpiece.

•
5) What are the applications of magnetic abrasive finishing process?

6) What is magneto rheological (MR-fluid) fluid?

MR fluid belongs to a class of smart controllable materials whose rheological behavior can be
manipulated externally by the application of a magnetic field. MR fluids are known as controllable
smart materials, since their flow properties, such as viscosity and stiffness (yield stress), can be
easily manipulated using
externally applied magnetic field. Under the influence of the magnetic field, an MR fluid can be
transformed from a fluid like state to a semi-solid-like state within milliseconds by the formation
of chain clusters of magnetic particles along the lines of the magnetic field. This phenomenon
is called the MR effect. The main component of all MR-fluid-based finishing processes is an MR
fluid, which consists of magnetic particles, abrasive particles, carrier fluid, and additives.
Initially, MR fluids were developed/used for clutches, shock absorbers, and vibration isolators
without addition of any abrasive particle. Nowadays, MR fluid-based finishing processes have
become an inevitable part of precision manufacturing.
A typical MR fluid consists of micron-sized magnetic carbonyl iron particles (CIPs), nonmagnetic
polishing abrasives suspended in a carrier liquid, and some stabilizers. CIPs are responsible for
creating high stiffness of the MR fluid in the presence of a magnetic field. The polishing abrasive
particles are necessary for high
material removal rate (MRR). The carrier liquid is responsible for establishing the correct
polishing chemistry; the stabilizers reduce sedimentation of solid particles and increase fluid
stability. Some essential features of an MR polishing fluid are as follows:
∙ Optimum concentration of magnetic particles and abrasive particles
∙ High yield stress under magnetic field
∙ Low off-state viscosity
∙ Less agglomeration and good re-dispersibility
∙ Resistance to corrosion
∙ Stability against static sedimentation (the resistance of a fluid to form a hard sediment that is
difficult to re-disperse)
∙ High polishing efficiency (high finishing rate without surface damage)

7) What are the basic steps involved in rapid prototyping techniques

3D modeling,
data conversion and transmission,
checking and preparing,
building
post-processing.

8) Write the advantages and limitations of SLA process

Advantages:
∙ High dimensional accuracy and good surface finish. Tolerances can be a tight as 0.002 cm/cm.
Part volumes are typically within an envelope of 0.5×0.5×0.75m, but one machine can produce
products up to 1.5 m (59 in.) in length.
∙Larger parts can be produced as joined segments by breaking the original CAD model and adding
joint features that may include dowel holes and gaps for adhesives.
∙Wax investment casting patterns can be replaced by hollow SLA shells supported by an internal
lattice network
∙ Ceramic products can be produced by loading nano or micro-sized ceramic powders into the
photocurable resin with stirring steps to keep them in suspension.
Hydroxyapatite can be processed into biocompatible bone replacements and implants. Other
ceramic materials that have been loaded into the resin include alumina, zirconia, aluminum nitride,
mullite, and cordierite.
Limitations
The major disadvantage to the process, however, is the use of expensive photopolymer resins.
The basic resins tend to be acrylic-based and are clear or amber in color (can be dyed but remain
translucent). ∙ Strength is good but lower than for engineering-grade resins. In addition, the
material is rather brittle and is aggressively hygroscopic. Because it is transparent to UV
radiation, full-volume post-processing cures are common, but the material will continue to cure
in sunlight and become more brittle over time. When opaque products are desired, the resins can
be loaded with ceramic materials to produce blue, flesh, and gray colors. Toughness and strength
are improved, but ductility is still quite limited. Unfortunately, many of the resins have toxicity
concerns ranging from possible skin irritation through being possible carcinogens. Because of
the necessary safety precautions, SLA is generally not performed in an
office environment.
∙ In addition, the process may not be attractive for parts with multiple free-hanging segments,
because each will require support.
Stereolithography was the first of the additive processes to be commercialized, and it continues
to be the most-used and most-studied of the techniques.

10 MARKS QUESTIONS
1) What is Laminated Object Manufacturing? Explain the process with sketches.
• In this process, layers of adhesive-coated paper, plastic, or metal laminates are
successively glued together and cut to shape with a knife or laser cutter.
• The main components of the system are a feed mechanism that advances a sheet
over a build platform, a heated roller to apply pressure to bond the sheet to the
layer below, and a laser to cut the outline of the part in each sheet layer.
• Parts are produced by stacking, bonding, and cutting layers of adhesive-coated
sheet material on top of the previous one.
• A laser cuts the outline of the part into each layer.
• After each cut is completed, the platform lowers by a depth equal to the sheet
thickness and another sheet is advanced on top of the previously deposited layers.
• The platform then rises slightly, and the heated roller applies pressure to bond the
new layer.
• The laser cuts the outline, and the process is repeated until the part is completed.
• After a layer is cut, the extra material remains in place to support the part during
build.
2) What is LIGA process? Explain it with neat sketches.
• The LIGA consists of three main processes:
1. Lithography,
2. Electro-forming/electroplating,
3. Molding
• Steps involved:
• Deposit
• Expose
• Develop
• Electroplating
• Planarize
 • Strip
• Release (Mold or Metal Part)
• In the process, an X-ray sensitive polymer photoresist, typically PMMA (Poly
methyl meth acrylate), a transparent thermoplastic bonded to an electrically
conductive substrate.
• The polymer is exposed to parallel beams of high-energy X-rays from a radiation
source through a mask.
• Chemical removal of exposed photoresist results in a three-dimensional structure,
which can be filled by the electrodeposition of metal.
• The resist is chemically stripped away to produce a metallic mold insert or even
the part itself.
• The mold insert can be used to produce parts in polymers or ceramics through
injection molding.
• The substrate is conductive material which holds the resist initially.
• The substrate (base plate) is conductive to facilitate electroplating.
• Ex: Steel, silicon wafer with titanium coating, copper plated with gold, titanium,
nickel, etc.
• The photoresist material must be sensitive to X-ray radiation.
• It must have high thermal stability up to 140℃.
• The unexposed resist must be insoluble during development.
• It should show very good adhesion property to the substrate during electroplating.
• PMMA (Poly methyl meth acrylate) is one of the most used photo resist material.
• Other materials are POM (poly oxy methylene), PAS (Polyalkensulfone), PMI
(Polymethacrylimide), PLG (Poly lactide-co glycolide), etc.

• Masks (silicon-nitride) are used in X-ray lithography with 1-1.5 𝜇𝑚 thickness.

• Most masking materials are transparent to X-rays. So generally, a thin film of
gold will be applied (by electroplating) the area that will block the X-ray
transmission.
• The patterns in the masks are created by electron beam machining.
• The x-ray exposure to the uncoated sections will dissolve the sections and create a
3D cavity (outline of the product).
 • After this, electroplating will be done (usually with Nickel) to produce coating of
the nickel over the 3D cavity.
• After this, the photoresist material (PMMA) will be removed by using chemical
solutions.

3) With neat sketch explain Abrasive Flow Finishing Process.

• It is a method of smoothening and polishing internal surfaces and producing
controlled radius.
• It is also known as extrude honing.
• The AFM process can remove the scratch marks and burrs produced by other
machining processes.
• This is useful for deburring and finishing for hydraulic and fuel system
components of aircraft in aerospace industries.
• It has two hydraulic cylinders and two medium cylinders.
• The medium is extruded from the filled chamber to the empty chamber
hydraulically or mechanically via the restricted passageway, which is the
worksurface.
• This surface will get abraded by the continuous reciprocating movement of the
two cylinders.
4) With a neat sketch explain Diamond turn machining process.
• The turning process is using a cutting tool with a diamond tip.
• It is a process of mechanical machining of precision elements using lathes
equipped with natural or synthetic diamond-tipped tool bits.
• These days, most diamond turning is done with computer numerical control (CNC)
machine tools.
• These diamond turned surfaces have high brightness and it does not require any further
polishing unlike other conventionally machined surfaces.
 • These are mainly used for the polishing of alloys to make mirror like surface for
different applications ranging from astronomical telescope mirrors, solar panels of
satellites, etc.
• Earlier, the same surface finish has obtained by CNC machining followed by lapping or
polishing etc.
• But this need more cycle time and hence less productivity.

5) Explain Magnetorheological Abrasive Flow Finishing process with suitable

diagram.
• This process starts to improve the surface finish of lenses.
• The process uses a ‘smart fluid’, known as ‘magnetorheological finishing fluid (MRF).’
• MRF is a suspension of micron sized magnetizable particles such as carbonyl iron
particles (CIPs) dispersed in a non-magnetic carrier medium like silicone oil, mineral
oil, or water, abrasive particle (like Silicone carbide, aluminum oxide, cerium oxide
etc.), and additives such as grease.
• In the absence of magnetic field, CIPs are randomly distributed.
• CIPs magnetize when the magnetic field is on.
• On the application of magnetic field, the carbonyl iron particles (CIPs) form a chainlike
columnar structure with abrasives embedded in-between.
• This structure also increases the viscosity of the medium.
• The normal magnetic force (penetrating force) is transferred to the work surface through
the CIPs and results in abrasive penetration in the work surface.
• Due to the relative motion between the MR fluid and the work surface, material removal
take place in the form of micro/nano chips resulting in nano finishing.
• Abrasion occurs selectively only where the magnetic field is applied across the workpiece
surface, keeping the other areas unaffected.
• When the magnetic field is removed, the particles return to their random state and the
viscosity will reduce.
• This process is capable to produce a surface finish of the order of 10-100nm.
• This is mainly using to finish optical glasses, glass ceramics, plastics, etc.
• On the application of magnetic field, the carbonyl iron particles (CIPs) form a chainlike
columnar structure with abrasives embedded in-between.
• This structure also increases the viscosity of the medium.
• The normal magnetic force (penetrating force) is transferred to the work surface through
the CIPs and results in abrasive penetration in the work surface.
• Due to the relative motion between the MR fluid and the work surface, material removal
take place in the form of micro/nano chips resulting in nano finishing.
• Abrasion occurs selectively only where the magnetic field is applied across the workpiece
surface, keeping the other areas unaffected.
• When the magnetic field is removed, the particles return to their random state and the
viscosity will reduce.
• This process is capable to produce a surface finish of the order of 10-100nm.
• This is mainly using to finish optical glasses, glass ceramics, plastics, etc.
 •

6) With a neat sketch explain Selective Laser Sintering.

• Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) uses the principle of sintering.
• Sintering is a heating process that prevents melting, and a coherent mass is
produced.
• In SLS, metallic or non-metallic powders are sintered using a CAD program
guided laser that selectively fuses the powder material.
• It works with a high-powered laser – as the laser selectively moves over the
surface of working powder, it fuses the cross-sections of material layer by layer.
• As one layer is completed, the process is repeated by lowering the powdered bed
and adding a fresh layer of material.
 • First cylinder moves up so that a layer of material can be send to the second
cylinder.
• In second cylinder after receiving a layer of material, it is processed using laser
beam.
• Then second cylinder moves down to receive the next layer from the third
cylinder as it moves up to supply the next layer of materials.
• Now, again a layer of material is processed using laser beam and the second
cylinder moves down to receive the next layer of powder from the first cylinder.
• The processes will continue till the final product forms.
• When a laser beam strikes over the loose powder particles, the powder particles
will partially melt, and these semisolid powders will join into form a solid
coherent mass.
• This solid mass will see as a single layer.
• Similar multiple layers will stack one over the other to form the required 3D
shape.
• After completing the printing, the part will be taken for post-processing treatment
to the break-out stations (BOS).
7) Explain the working of laser engineered net shaping with sketch.
• This process is like other rapid prototyping technologies in its approach to
fabricate a solid component by layer-by-layer additive methods.
• The laser creates a molten pool of metal on the substrate, into which powder
feeder injects powders into the melt pool
• A high-power laser is used to melt the metal powder supplied co-axially at the
focus of the laser beam through a deposition head.
• The laser source can be any (CO2, Nd:YAG, Ruby, etc.)
• The laser typically focused through the centre of the beam head and is focused to
a small spot (depends on the laser beam diameter) by one or more lenses.
• The X-Y table is moved as per the coded instructions to create each layer of the
object.
• The relative movement will provide either to the laser beam head or to the table.
• The beam head will be moved up by one-layer thick distance to start the next
layer.
• Metal powders are delivered and distributed around the circumference of the head
by using either gravity or a pressurized carrier gas.
• An inert gas will be used to cover the molten pool from the atmospheric gases (to
avoid oxidation) and to stimulate a better layer-layer bond by providing better
surface wetting.
• The process is like other 3D fabrication technologies in its approach in that it
forms a solid component by the layer additive method.
• The process can make direct metal parts from their raw metal powders with
very less secondary finishing operations.
• It can make parts of alloys (by feeding different metal powders simultaneously)
like Titanium, stainless steel, copper, aluminium, etc.
 • The major application of the LENS process is in the repairing of damaged parts,
refurbishment, rapid manufacturing, etc.
• The LENS parts usually holds good material homogeneity and mechanical
strength.
• Near net shape parts can be made at smaller scales, but for large parts, it may need
few secondary (post-processing) operations.
• The post-processing includes surface finishing, heat treatment, etc.
• The building layer thickness can be varying from 0.02mm – 1.00mm.
• The deposition line width can be varying from 0.20mm – 3.0mm.
The major LENS process variables are:
• Laser intensity and laser diameter - It defines the contour edge shapes and bond
strength. It affects the deposition rate.
• Thickness of layer (movement of Z-axis) – controls the production time.
• Properties of the powder material used – Soft powders (Al, Cu) are easily
shaped whereas advanced powder materials (Ti, W) will take more time to melt as
well as solidify.
• Tracing pattern and part positioning – how the laser is tracing the shape and
the orientation of the part being made influences the process efficiency.

• Can be used to repair parts as well as fabricate new ones.

• Can fabricate strong functional metal product rapidly from the CAD data.
• It can manufacture fully-dense metal parts with good metallurgical properties at a
reasonable speeds.
• Net shape product (need very fewer secondary operations).
• Less wastage and less secondary finishing process is required.
• Product can undergo light finishing and heat treatment processes.
8) Explain the Magnetic Float Polishing with neat figure.
• This process is developed to finish spherical surfaces.
• This process involves the use of magnetic field to support abrasive slurry in finishing
ceramic balls and bearing rollers without having any scratches and pits.
• This technique is based on the ferro-hydrodynamic behaviour of magnetic fluids that can
levitate a non-magnetic float and abrasives suspended in it by magnetic field.
• The levitation force is proportional to the magnetic field gradient which is very small and
controllable.
• Inside the finishing chamber, a magnetic fluid which contains fine abrasive grains and
extremely fine ferromagnetic particles in a carrier fluid such as water or kerosene.
• Below this chamber, strong electromagnets are arranged alternately north and south.
• While applying the magnetic field, the ferromagnetic particles attracted downward
towards the area of higher magnetic field and an upward buoyant force is exerted on
nonmagnetic material to push them to the area of lower magnetic field.
• The buoyant force acts on the abrasive grains, ceramic balls, and the float inside the
chamber.
• All these non-magnetic materials are levitated by the magnetic buoyant force.
• The balls are polished by the relative motion between abrasives and the balls.
• This technique is developed for efficient finishing of advanced ceramics.
• The process yields a crack-free surface with good sphericity.