ME8073

UNCONVENTIONAL

MACHINING PROCESSES
 OBJECTIVE

To learn about various unconventional

machining processes,
the various
process parameters and
their influence on performance
and their applications
 UNIT I
INTRODUCTION AND MECHANICAL
ENERGY BASED PROCESSES

Unconventional machining Process – Need –

classification – merits, demerits and
applications. Abrasive Jet Machining – Water
Jet Machining – Abrasive Water Jet
Machining - Ultrasonic Machining. (AJM,
WJM, AWJM and USM). Working
Principles – equipment used – Process
parameters – MRR- Applications.
 UNIT II

THERMAL AND ELECTRICAL ENERGY BASED PROCESSES

Electric Discharge Machining (EDM) – Wire cut

EDM – Working Principle-equipments-Process
Parameters-Surface Finish and MRR- electrode /
Tool – Power and control Circuits-Tool Wear –
Dielectric – Flushing –– Applications. Laser Beam
machining and drilling, (LBM), plasma, Arc
machining (PAM) and Electron Beam Machining
(EBM). Principles – Equipment –Types - Beam
control techniques – Applications.
 UNIT III
CHEMICAL AND ELECTRO-CHEMICAL
ENERGY BASED PROCESSES

Chemical machining and Electro-Chemical

machining (CHM and ECM)- Etchants –
Maskant -techniques of applying maskants -
Process Parameters – Surface finish and
MRR-Applications. Principles of ECM-
equipments-Surface Roughness and MRR
Electrical circuit-Process Parameters ECG
and ECH - Applications.
 UNIT IV
ADVANCED NANO FINISHING
PROCESSES

Abrasive flow machining, chemo-mechanical

polishing, magnetic abrasive finishing,
magneto rheological finishing, magneto
rheological abrasive flow finishing their
working principles, equipments, effect of
process parameters, applications, advantages
and limitations.
 UNIT V
RECENT TRENDS IN NON-TRADITIONAL
MACHINING PROCESSES

Recent developments in non-traditional

machining processes, their working principles,
equipments, effect of process parameters,
applications, advantages and limitations.
Comparison of non-traditional
machining processes.
 OUTCOMES

Upon the completion of this course the students will be

able to

CO1 Explain the need for unconventional machining

processes and its classification
CO2 Compare various thermal energy and electrical
energy based unconventional machining processes.
CO3 Summarize various chemical and electro-chemical
energy based unconventional machining processes.
CO4 Explain various nano abrasives based unconventional
machining processes.
CO5 Distinguish various recent trends based
unconventional machining processes.
TEXT BOOKS:
1.Vijay.K. Jain “Advanced Machining Processes” Allied Publishers
Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, 2007

2. Pandey P.C. and Shan H.S. “Modern Machining Processes” Tata

McGraw-Hill, New
Delhi, 2007.

REFERENCES:
1. Benedict. G.F. “Nontraditional Manufacturing Processes”, Marcel
Dekker Inc., New York, 1987.
2. Mc Geough, “Advanced Methods of Machining”, Chapman and
Hall, London, 1998.
3. Paul De Garmo, J.T.Black, and Ronald. A.Kohser, “Material and
Processes in Manufacturing” Prentice Hall of India Pvt. Ltd.,
8thEdition, New Delhi , 2001.
Unconventional Machining Processes
 Introduction
 Manufacturing Technology I
 Metal casting (Sand casting and other casting processes)
 Bulk deformation (Metal Forming – Forging, Rolling, Extrusion)
 Manufacturing of plastic materials (Injection molding, etc).

 Manufacturing Technology II (Material removal process)

 Metal Cutting or Mechanical Abrasion
 Shaper, Planer, Slotter, Milling, Drilling, Broaching, Gear cutting,
etc.
 Grinding, Honing, Lapping, etc.
 CNC and DNC

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 Introduction – Contd.
 Machining – produces finished products with high degree of
accuracy.
 Conventional machining
 Utilizes cutting tools (harder than workpiece material).
 Needs a contact between the tool and workpiece.
 Needs a relative motion between the tool and workpiece.
 Absence of any of these elements – makes the process a
unconventional or nontraditional one.
 Big boon to modern manufacturing industries.
 The need for higher productivity, accuracy and surface
quality – led to combination of two or more machining
actions, called hybrid machining processes.

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 History of Machining
 In ancient days – hand tools (stones, bones or stick).
 Later – hand tools of elementary metals (bronze or iron)
 Till 17th Century – tools were either hand operated or driven
mechanically by very elementary methods.
 Wagons, ships, furniture, etc. – were produced.
 Introduction of water, steam and electricity – power driven
machine tools
 Caused a big revolution in 18th and 19th centuries.
 1953 – Numerical control machine tools – enhanced the
product productivity and accuracy.

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14
Traditional or Conventional Machining

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Metal Cutting Processes

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Abrasive Machining
Cylindrical grinding

Flat surface grinding

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 Abrasive Machining

Centreless grinding

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 Machining Accuracies

100 -1 microns

1 -0.01 microns

Micro-turning and Micro-Milling M/C

0.1 -0.001 microns

Classification of all Material Removal
Processes

Area of
interest
 Need for Unconventional Machining

• Greatly improved thermal, mechanical and chemical properties of

modern materials – Not able to machine thru conventional
methods. (Why???)
• Ceramics & Composites – high cost of machining and damage
caused during machining – big hurdles to use these materials.
• In addition to advanced materials, more complex shapes, low
rigidity structures and micro-machined components with tight
tolerances and fine surface finish are often needed.
• To meet these demands, new processes are developed.
• Play a considerable role in aircraft, automobile, tool, die and
mold making industries.

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 Need for Unconventional Machining

• Very high hardness and strength of the material. (above 400 HB.)
• The work piece is too flexible or slender to support the cutting or
grinding forces.
• The shape of the part is complex, such as internal and external
profiles, or small diameter holes.
• Surface finish or tolerance better than those obtainable
conventional process.
• Temperature rise or residual stress in the work piece are
undesirable.

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Unconventional Machining Processes -
Classification

Electrical

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Mechanical Based Processes

1. Working principles
2. Equipment used
AJM 3. Process parameters
WJM 4. MRR
AWJM 5. Variation in techniques used
USM 6. Applications

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 Electrical Based Processes

1. Working principle
2. Equipment used
3. Process parameters
Electrical
4. Surface finish & MRR
5. Electrode/Tool
EDM 6. Power & Control circuits
WEDM 7. Tool wear
8. Dielectric
9. Flushing
10. Applications

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Chemical & Electrochemical Based
Processes

1. Working principles
2. Etchants & Maskants
3. Techniques of applying maskants

CHM 4. Process parameters

ECM 5. Surface finish & MRR

ECG 6. Electrical circuits in case of ECM

ECH 7. Applications

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 Thermal Based Processes

1. Working principles
2. Equipment used
3. Types
LBM
4. Beam control techniques
PAM
5. Applications
EBM

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 Mechanical based Unconventional
Processes

USM – thru mechanical abrasion

in a medium (solid abrasive
particles suspended in the
fluid)
WJM – Cutting by a jet of fluid
AWJM – Abrasives in fluid jet.
IJM – Ice particles in fluid jet.
Abrasives or ice – Enhances
cutting action.

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 Thermal based Unconventional Processes

Thru – melting & vaporizing

Many secondary phenomena –
surface cracking, heat
affected zone and striations.
Heat Source:
Plasma – EDM and PBM.
Photons – LBM
Electrons – EBM
Ions – IBM
Machining medium: different
for different processes.

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 Chemical & Electrochemical based
Unconventional Processes

CHM – uses Chemical dissolution

action in an etchant.
ECM – uses Electrochemical
dissolution action in an
electrolytic cell.

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Classification of UCM Tip
Remember

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Mechanical Based Processes

1. Working principles
2. Equipment used
AJM 3. Process parameters
WJM 4. MRR
AWJM 5. Variation in techniques used
USM 6. Applications

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 Mechanical Energy Based process

• Material is removed by mechanical erosion

of work piece material
– Abrasive Jet Machining (AJM)
– Water Jet Machining (WJM)
– Ultrasonic Machining (USM)
 ABRASIVE JET MACHINING (AJM)

• Principle
– A high speed stream of abrasive particles mixed
with high pressure air or gas are injected through a
nozzle on the workpiece to be machined
 Introduction to Abrasive Jet Machining
(AJM)
• In AJM, the material removal takes place due
to impingement of the fine abrasive particles.
• The abrasive particles are typically of
0.025mm diameter and the air discharges at a
pressure of several atmosphere.
 AJM
• Construction and working
principle
 AJM

• Applications
– To machine hard and brittle materials
– Fine drilling and micro welding
– Machining of semiconductors
– Machining of intricate profiles
– Surface etching
– Surface preparation
– Cleaning and polishing of plastics, nylon and
teflon
 AJM

• Advantages
– Process is suitable to cut all materials
– Even diamond can be machined using
diamond abrasives
– No direct contact between tool and workpiece
– Low initial investment
– Good surface finish
– Used to cut intricate hole shapes
 AJM

• Disadvantages
– MRR is slow
– Soft material cannot be machined
– Machining accuracy is poor
– Nozzle wear rate is high
– Abrasive powder once used can never
be used again
– Requires some kind of dust collection system
– Cleaning is essential after the operation
AJM

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Waterjet and Abrasive Waterjet
(AWJ) Cutting
 Abrasive
Waterjet and
Waterjet
examples
 Mechanics of AJM
• Abrasive particle impinges on the work
surface at a high velocity and this impact
causes a tiny brittle fracture and the following
air or gas carries away the dislodged small
work piece particle.
Abrasive Jet Machining: Machined products
Abrasive Jet Machining: Machined products
 Abrasive Jet Machining (AJM)

► In AJM, the material removal takes place due to

impingement of the fine abrasive particles.
► The abrasive particles are typically of 0.025mm diameter
and the air discharges at a pressure of several atmosphere.
 Mechanics of AJM

► Abrasive particle impinges on the work surface at a high

velocity and this impact causes a tiny brittle fracture and
the following air or gas carries away the dislodged small
work piece particle.
 Mechanics of AJM

► Flaring of the Jet:- Cavity dimension changes with a change

in NTD.
► Abrasive particles repeatedly hit on the work surface.
► Brittle fracture separates out tiny particles (wear particles)
to produce a cavity. Cavity width greater than or equal to
Nozzle inner diam. (Depends on NTD).
► Cavity depth depends on work piece feed rate, abrasive
particle mass (or density) and pressure (or velocity of the
jet).
► Stray Cutting: Due to increase in NTD the jet diameter goes
on increasing.
AJM System
 AJM Process Parameters
► For successful utilization of AJM process, it is necessary
to analyse the following process criteria.
1. Material removal rate.
2. Geometry and surface finish of the workpiece.
3. Wear rate of the nozzle.
► AJM processes are generally influenced by the following
process parameters.
► Abrasives:
Material shape size(µm) m˙(g/min)
Abrasives Al2O3, SiC Irregular 10 − 50 2 − 20
AJM Process Parameters contd.

► Carrier
Gas:
Composition ρ(kg/m3) V (m/s) P(bars)
Carrier Gas Air,CO2,N2 1.3 500 − 700 2 − 10

► Abrasive
Jet:
SOD(mm) Impinge V (m/s) Mixing ratio
Abrasive Jet 0.5-15 60 − 90◦ 100 − 300 V˙abr /V˙gas
► Nozzle
:
Material Diameter(mm) Life(hrs) NTD(mm)
Nozzle WC,Sapphire 0.2-0.8 12-300 0.25-75
► Note: SOD-Stand of Distance, NTD: Nozzle to Tip
Distance
Parametric Analysis in AJM

►Effect of Nozzle Tip Distance (NTD) on cavity diameter

Parametric Analysis in AJM
► Effect of Nozzle Tip Distance (NTD) on MRR

► The NTD not only affects the MRR from the work surface
but also the shape and size of the cavity produced.
► when the NTD increases, the velocity of the abrasive
particles impinging on the work surface increases due to
their acceleration after they leave the nozzle. This increases
the MRR. With a further increase in the NTD, the velocity
reduces due to the drag of the atmosphere which initially
checks the increase in MRR and then decreases it.
 Parametric Analysis in AJM
► Effect of Abrasive flow rate on
MRR

► As the flow rate increases upto maxima, More number of

abrasive particles hit the surface. this increases the
MRR.
► If flow rate is greater than the optimum, velocity of the
jet decreases hence MRR also decreases.
 Parametric Analysis in AJM
► Effect of Nozzle Pressure on
MRR

► Little effect on MRR

► Kinetic Energy removes material: Due to erosive
action
► Certain minimum velocity for the given material of
 Parametric Analysis in AJM
► Effect of Mixing Ratio on MRR

► Note: Mixing Ratio(m) is the ratio of volume flow rate of

abrasive to the volume flow rate of carrier gas.(α =mass
ratio)α is the ratio of mass flow rate of abrasive to the mass
flow rate of abrasive and gas carrier

m = V˙a α= m˙a
(20)
V˙ g m˙ a+g
 Process Capabilities of AJM

► Low MRR
► Intricate Details Can be Produced
► Narrow Slots (0.12 to 0.25 mm) can be made
► Low Tolerances (−0.12 to +0.12mm) can be obtained
► Minimization of Taper Angle of Nozzle wrt Work Piece
► Thin Sectioned, Brittle Material, Inaccessible areas can
be easily machined
► Almost no surface damage
 Applications of AJM

► Manufacture of Electronic Devices including

Fragile components
► Deburring of Plastics, Nylon, Teflon Parts
► Deflashing of Small Casting
► Drilling Glass Wafers, etc.
► Cutting, marking, engraving, cutting thin
sectioned.
► Glass frosting
 WATER JET MACHINING (WJM)

• Principle
– When high velocity of water jet comes out of the
nozzle and strikes the material, its kinetic energy
gets converted into pressure energy inducing a high
stress in the work material. When this stress
exceeds the ultimate shear stress of the material,
small chips of the material got loosened and fresh
surface is exposed

– Used to cut paper boards, plastics, wood, fibre glass,

leather
 WJM
• Construction and working
 WJM

• Process parameters
– Material removal rate
– Geometry and surface finish of work
material
– Wear rate of nozzle

• Disadvantages
– Initial cost is high
– Noisy operation
– Difficult to machine hard material
 WJM

• Advantages
– Wateris used as energy medium
and hence it is cheap, non-toxic and easy
to dispose
– Low operating cost
– Low maintenance cost
– Work area remains clean and dust free
– Easily automated
– No thermal damage to work
 Water Jet Machining

► It has multidirectional cutting capacity with no heat

produced.
► Cuts can be started at any location without the need for
predrilled holes.
► The burr produced is minimal.
► Grinding and polishing are eliminated, reducing secondary
operation costs.
Water Jet Machining-Products
 Abrasive Water Jet Machining

► Cut virtually any material.

► Cut thin or thick stuff and No heat generated.
► Abrasive Water jet cutting can be easily used to
produce prototype parts very efficiently.
Abrasive Water Jet Machining- Products
 Ice Jet Machining

► In AWJ, waste of water is very high as waterjet contains abrasive

particles. To reuse the water very complicated water cleaning system
has to be employed While in IJ, ice is used instead of Abrasives. So as
ice melts into the water, water treatment gets eliminated and we can
reuse the water
► solid waste is produced in the AWJ technology and it pollutes the
environment while IJ technology is environmental friendly.
Ultrasonic Machining (USM) Process
contd.

► Mechanics of USM: 1. The hammering of the abrasive

particles on the work surface by the tool.
2. The impact of free abrasive particles on the work
surface.
3. The erosion due to cavitation.
4. The chemical action associated with the fluid used.
Ultrasonic Machining (USM)
Process contd.
► Mechanics of USM contd.: 1. The position jAj indicates the
instant the tool face touches the abrasive grain.
2.The period of movement from jAj to jBj represents the
impact.
3.The indentations, caused by the grain on the tool and the
work surface at the extreme bottom position of the tool
from the position jAj to position jBj is jhj (the total
indentation).
Ultrasonic
Machine
► It consists of the following machine components: The
acoustic head, feeding unit, tool, abrasive slurry and pump
unit, body with work table.
Ultrasonic Machining

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 Ultrasonic grinding

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W4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fLz4B8v
g20

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 Basics of the USM process
• The basic USM process involves a tool ( made of a ductile and tough
material) vibrating with a very high frequency and a continuous flow of an
abrasive slurry in the small gap between the tool and the work piece.
• The tool is gradually fed with a uniform force.
• The impact of the hard abrasive grains fractures the hard and brittle work
surface, resulting in the removal of the work material in the form of small
wear particles.
• The tool material being tough and ductile wears out at a much slower rate.
Classification of UCM Tip
Remember

74
Tip Schemes of UCM Process
Remember

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