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Ultrasonic Machining Process

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 International Research Journal of Innovations in Engineering and Technology (IRJIET)

ISSN (online): 2581-3048

Volume 3, Issue 11, pp 82-89, November - 2019

Ultrasonic Machining Process

1
Nagendra A Raikar, 2Ramashiva R, 3Yathish N, 4T S Nanjundeswaraswamy
1,2,3
Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, JSS Academy of Technical Education, Bangalore- 560060, India
4
Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, JSS Academy of Technical Education, Bangalore- 560060, India

Abstract - Ultrasonic Machining is the oldest form of Ultrasonic machining is basically operated by micro
machining process which can be used to machine brittle chipping or erosion on the work piece and abrasive slurry is
materials such as glass and ceramics. The paper says about continuously passed to the working zone which sufficient
Parametric Optimization of Ultrasonic Machining Process frequency and amplitude the slurry particles are in vibratory
Using Gravitational Search, Latest Machining motion which will impact the surface of the work piece which
Technologies of Hard to Cut Materials by Ultrasonic will induce stress in it high stress contact area is usually
Machining Process, Ultrasonic assisted milling of achieved by fixing small gap between the slurry particle and
reinforced plastics, recent advancements in USM, Recent work piece .USM is used to machining complex and intricate
developments in micro USM. The parameters involved in profiles. USM is used for machining brittle material such as
it are MRR and Tool Feed Mechanism. single crystal, glass etc.

Keywords: Ultrasonic Machining, Optimization, Tool feed

mechanism, Metal Removal Rate.

I. Introduction

Ultrasonic machining, or strictly speaking the "Ultrasonic

vibration machining", Ultra sonic machine is used mainly for
machining Brittle material the process of material removal is
done by USM is with high frequency and low amplitude with
presence of abrasive particles. Ultrasonic machining (USM) is
the removal of hard and brittle material it is an axially
oscillating tool at ultrasonic frequencies [18-20HZ].During
that oscillation the abrasive slurry of B4Cor Si C which is
continuously sent to a zone where machining is done B/w a
tool and a work piece .The abrasive particles are therefore
Hammered into the work piece surface and from chips of
particles from the surface of work piece.

Ultrasonic machining is usually used for machining brittle

Figure 2: This is the oldest model if ultrasonic machining of 1955
materials. Therefore they are generally used for material
which s having high hardness .by this ultrasonic machining is II. Working Principle
done by help of micro cracking mechanism.
When a tool is supplied with an electric current an high
frequency will generate vibration of less amplitude and slurry
is made to strike the workpiece with greater velocity on to the
workpiece cause impact on the workpiece which leads to
fracture on the workpiece surface and by this material is
removed between the tool and workpiece the accuracy in
shape and dimension of the workpiece can be obtained by
giving small gap between the workpiece and tool. The tool s
fed along the axis parallel to tool feed. In case of larger depth
slurry weight is locked by 60% by help the slurry to flow over
the given depth of workpiece.
Figure 1: Ultrasonic Machining

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 International Research Journal of Innovations in Engineering and Technology (IRJIET)

ISSN (online): 2581-3048

Volume 3, Issue 11, pp 82-89, November - 2019

The ultrasonic machining is characterized for mainly low

material removing rate and proper precise method should be
maintained while the process. And the surface roughness also
will be maintained in ultrasonic machining process. Singh and
Khamba have studied about controllable machining
parameters like power rating, tool type and slurry type etc.

Dvivedin and Kumar have studied working piece material,

grit size, slurry concentration. The method of teguchi is
applied to obtain parametric setting and optimized an
ultrasonic machining process of genetic algorithm (GM).
Studies on slurry concentration and slurry grit size and input
parameters as the single response from ultrasonic machining
process is made.
Figure 3: Shows that the working principle of ultrasonic machining
process
3.3 Latest Machining Technologies of Hard to Cut
Materials by Ultrasonic Machining Process
III. USM Process
Florian Feucht a et.al2014 according to them advanced
They are three different type of process involved in USM
materials are very demanding for machining technologies.
machining process which are listed below
And some of the key requirements in them are quality of parts
 Converting low frequency of electrical power to high and cost of a tool, process stability and reliability are also of
frequency electrical power and is sent to transducer particular interest for high value added parts.
 In transducer will convert the high frequency
Application of high performance ceramics and glass in
electrical power to high frequency mechanical
several fields of industry is based on specially designed
vibration motion
properties like temperature, stability and wear resistance and
 These vibrations will be guide and amplified .and
some of the vibration assisted machining has been shown in is
which is then supplied to the tip of tool
best suited technology due to its lower process forces
3.1 Types of USM improved surface quality and reduced tool wear, an example
for ultrasonic machining is deep hole drilling process.
1. Rotary Ultrasonic vibration machining (RUM): In RUM, a Ultrasonic machining is mainly used for aerospace technology
vertically rotating tool is allowed to revolve about the axis of and very demanding land suitable technology and used for
the sonotrode. The surface of the tool is impregnated with drilling thin wall and light weight structures with good quality
diamonds that is used to grind down the surface of the part. when compared to similar methods. Ultrasonic machining
Abrasive slurry is not used in this type of machine for material technology is been applied to trim the surface of other high
removal. valued added work piece.

2. Chemical-Assisted USM: In this machining, a chemically Ultrasonic machining is used for high quality ceramic
reactive abrasive fluid is used for the machining process. watch cases for high surface quality ceramic watch complex
shaping. Ultrasonic machining is proven more efficient tool
3.2 Parametric Optimization of Ultrasonic Machining offering solutions to the challenges of advanced materials like
Process Using Gravitational Search compounds like titanium and aluminum. This material is
increasingly applied to aerospace industry to produce faster
Debkalpa Goswami et.al.2015 according to them in
and lighter aircraft and advanced surface of the engine outer
increase of modern technology in fields of carbide, ceramics,
body is made.
and nominees in aerospace, nuclear it is essential to develop
nontraditional machining process like ultrasonic machining Ultrasonic assisted machining of this material has the
process. Ultrasonic machining is a precision machine which potential to solve several challenges like large tool wear, high
does not creates change in thermal, chemical, or electrical process forces and temperature tool and cutting-edge
properties in a material. This process makes low material technologies.
removal rate and less surface damage. It is used to machine
high hardness material and ductile material.

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 International Research Journal of Innovations in Engineering and Technology (IRJIET)

ISSN (online): 2581-3048

Volume 3, Issue 11, pp 82-89, November - 2019

Ultrasonic machining process the machining of fiber This equipment contains a filter system, which guarantees an
reinforced materials or fiber pull out is more challenging. average dust concentration of less than 0.1 mg/m3 at the
However, the free particles generated by the milling process pressure-side of the extraction. The used milling tools from
have to be extracted from the cutting zone in order to not build Hufschmied Zerspanungs system GmbH, Bobingen, Germany
up on tooling surfaces. This shows the integration, structure are specially developed for the milling of FRP and swing
and effects of the ultrasonic technology for the machining of under optimized chucking conditions with a natural frequency
advanced and hard to machine materials. of f = 22,130 Hz and an amplitude of almost A = 12 μm peak-
to-peak. They made of uncoated carbide with a cobalt content
There are two core elements is ultrasonic machining first wCo = 6 M-%, a hardness 1620 HV 30 and an average grain
is electronics, a frequency generator is integrated into the size dWC = 1.3 μm. Used workpiece material by bmw ag,
milling center, second one is and most notability is the munich, german y is a meshwork of carbon and glass fibres in
ultrasonic actuator. This system is HSK tool holder with a an epoxy resin. The difference between conventional and
piezoelectric oscillator. In the inhomogeneous character of ultrasonic assisted milling of fiber reinforced plastic was
fiber reinforced materials, it is very difficult to machine a analyzed as carbon fibers having a diameter and angle and
composite material efficiently. Milling process can be woven around the carbon fibre. To identify the effect of
performed by an advanced technique providing high precision ultrasonic assistance, a suitable parameter field was identified
edge and surface quantity in order to avoid to workpiece to for the trials. The parameters widths of cut are, depth of cut ap
brake due to high cutting speed of the cutter. and feed per tooth fz were kept at a constant level. The first
chosen cutting speed vc was set to a high value of vc = 377
Therefore, due to high cutting speed there is a increase in
m/min (n = 24,000 rpm). To generate a discontinuous cut at
a temperature and hence the cooling liquids are used.
the tool tip, the vibration velocity must be higher than the
Ultrasonic oscillation is superimposed onto a conventional
rotational speed of the milling tool. Based on the kinematics of
spindle rotation, the cutting edge of the tools are periodically
an ultrasonic supported turning process according to Brecher
lifted from the material this process reduces the force and
et al. A calculation was made to identify the cutting speed vc
allows the lower spindle due to fiber break up is delivered by
which enables a discontinuous cut (vc = 37.7 m/min). Initial
the oscillation. Ultrasonic vibration of a tool prevented a
values for this calculation were vibration frequency and
buildup and therefore a clean cutting edge is maintained
amplitude.
leading to almost no visible adhesion which results in constant
machining process. 3.5 Recent Advancements in Ultrasonic Machining
3.4 Ultrasonic assisted milling of reinforced plastics Pradeep Kumar et. Al (2015), in their paper wrote about
the base mechanism used in USM by referring Soundararajan
According to E.Uhlmann et.al2017, as a demand for light
et al.’s investigation. It stated that material removal process
weight design is increasing, especially in a transport industry,
for non-porous materials was done by direct hammering of the
fiber reinforced plastic are applied due to their high specific
abrasive particles by vibrating tool and with very high velocity
strength, stiffness, toughness, fatigue, and creep resistance,
force on the workpiece material. For materials such as glass, it
wear and corrosion resistance, good attenuation properties’.
had high MRR and good surface finish.
Recent studies says that globally required quantity of carbon
fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) will double than from 58000 Later by referring Lee’s paper, they studied about ceramic
ton in 2015 to 2020. Aim of the presented work of ultrasonic materials USM. Their study shows that increasing the grit size
of reinforced plastics are some below. of abrasives, tool vibration amplitude, and static load increase
the MRR and this enhances surface roughness. It was
An approach, a suitable parameter field was defined and
reviewed later by Thoe et al. who showed that there is no
tests performed with uncoated cemented carbide tools by
damage to workpiece and that the process was stress free and
comparing the cutting forces and workpiece qualities. Milling
free from any damages. He also stated that the tool used must
tests were undertaken on a 5-axis milling machine from Sauer
have fine elastic strength, high wear resistance and fatigue
GmbH, Stipshausen, Germany type ultrasonic 260 composite
strength. The slurry particles must not be too viscous, should
with a rotational speed up to n = 30,000 rpm when using
have high sp. Heat for cooling. Higher the slurry conc., and
ultrasonic assistance. The ultrasonic actuators of the latest
higher the abrasives, MRR is also high. He stated that the horn
generation have five rings of piezo-ceramics and shrink
and design of tool play a vital role in MRR. Combination of
chucks, which in combination results in an improved energy
ultrasonic process with electric discharge machining, increases
transmission and therefore a higher vibration amplitude at the
the metal removal rate for ceramic coated nickel-based alloys.
tool tip. To ensure an effective and suitable dust extraction.

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 International Research Journal of Innovations in Engineering and Technology (IRJIET)

ISSN (online): 2581-3048

Volume 3, Issue 11, pp 82-89, November - 2019

In case of magnesia stabilized zirconium, increase in applications in aerospace, optics and automotive fields. The
speed of tool rotation or decrease in abrasive particles and first USM tools mounted on drilling and milling machines was
their diameter, increase in MRR can be seen. Geo investigated built during 1953-1954. By 1960s, USM was used
and found out that using of kerosene, increases the surface independently used in variety of applications. During mid
roughness of materials. He found that USM gives the best 1990s, for the very first time, micro USM technique was
cutting operation than others. Jianxin explored that ultrasonic coined by Masuzawa of Tokyo University. Micro USM is
and diamond saw turning gave better surface quality than similar to Macro USM but it requires very small sized tool,
electro-discharge machining. Beak experimented on smaller amplitude and micro sized abrasive particles.
enhancement of surface quality of the glass in USM by
Sacrificing Coating. The coating of wax is done on the glass 3.7 Micro USM Process
so that if any scratches are formed, it forms on the wax layer
and not on the glass. Hence, he proved that wax coating gives
better surface finish for brittle and hard materials. Finally,
Egashira tested on drilling holes of less than 10 micro meters
without damaging the workpiece and the tool. This was
possible with ultrasonic machining easily.

3.6 Recent Developments in Micro-Ultrasonic Machining

Vivek Jain et. al (2011), In their paper, wrote about the

below mentioned topics by referring various review papers.
Micro Ultrasonic Machining is derived from macro Ultrasonic
Machining; it finds its huge advantage in machining of non-
conductive, brittle and hard materials which are having
capability to generate surfaces free from thermal damage.

This process has a high edge over the highly competitive Figure 4: Micro USM Process
LIGA process and applicable to a broad range of materials.
The above Figure shows the setup of micro USM process,
Ultrasonic Machining is an old machining process technique,
it consists of a tool system and slurry supply unit. It employs
which has evolved and variously termed as Ultrasonic
Machining, Impact Grinding or Slurry Drilling which depends the vibration of the ultrasound with a frequency range of 20-
40 kHz. The tool is mechanically vibrated at an ultrasonic
on cutting action of slurry flowing between the vibrating tip of
frequency and amplitude of few micrometers.
a transducer and workpiece. USM has wide range of

3.8 Developments in Micro USM Machine Tools

Figure 5: Developments in Micro USM Machine Tools

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 International Research Journal of Innovations in Engineering and Technology (IRJIET)

ISSN (online): 2581-3048

Volume 3, Issue 11, pp 82-89, November - 2019

This type of machining comes from micro tool in which sliding and rolling contacts between abrasives and workpiece.
there is no rotary motion involved. Here a simple cylindrical This claims in better Material removal rate. The major
shaped tool was used and only vibration was given to micro requirements for micro- Rotary USM are the micro sized tool
tool. Since USM has major drawback of tool wear, it leads to and a machining system capable of putting smaller loads on
tool shortening and therefore imposes obstacles in maintaining the micro tool with required control mechanisms and
consistent vibration amplitude at the tool tip. It varies at necessary feedback control’s.
different locations along the tool axis and tool wear changes
the place of tool tip and causes inconsistency. Applying IV. Metal Removal Rate
ultrasonic vibration to the workpiece has made machining
Sanjay Agarwal et.al (2015), explained the mechanism of
process preferable since it eliminates influence of tool wear on
metal removal rate in rotary ultrasonic machining by studying
vibration amplitude on the tip in case of applying vibration to
the deformation and fracture point of brittle material like glass
tool.
so, Agarwal studies the impression of indenter to know the
This further enhances machining by increasing the hardness of glass crank resistance and other parameter of
efficiency of abrasive particles around the machining zone and fracture of failure. The mechanism of MRR in ultrasonic
remove debris. Rotary USM as indicated below is a cost- machining mainly occurs by shocking moment and mechanics
effective and hybrid machining process for drilling holes. It of abrasive as explained in figure.
combines the material removal mechanisms of diamond
grinding and USM resulting in greater MRR.

Here the hollow tool can be given rotational motion also

and it can even vibrate. Since the tool has rotation, it also has

Figure 6: Material Removal Rate

Indentation is one of the most important events in MRR in And elastic field force Ke may be obtained in terms of
ultrasonic machining process the process of initiation and factor r χ, e χ, p (shocking force) Pr (residual crank mouth
propagation of crank and chip formation of brittle material is opening force and other factor, the reversibility of elastic
study with reference. The shear field helps in formation of component and the irreversibility of residual term, as refer can
crack which can be further classified into two components due be written for the irreversibility of residual term, as refer can
to applied field and residual stress field. The residual stress be written for both loading and unloading condition he
component expression is expressed. The sum of the elastic and considered the loading and unloading conditions can obtain
residual stress gives us the net stress acting on indentation. As this expression. This provides the quantitative analysis of the
they are two principal crack system median and radial cranks median and radical crank system in indentation this model
by the assumption made by penny was like the crank geometry provides us the rationale differs between terms median and
the stress intensity factor residual field force kr. radial. By study made by S. Agrawal is reasonable to suggest
that radical can be used or describing any property related to
surface dimension so the above described study of indentation

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 International Research Journal of Innovations in Engineering and Technology (IRJIET)

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Volume 3, Issue 11, pp 82-89, November - 2019

provides the practical knowledge of ultrasonic machining By indentation process the abrasive grit onto the work
process of brittle material like glass. piece and tool. The spherical bulges contact b/w the work
piece and tool from a contact zone b/w abrasive grit and work
piece which is generally circular in shape and can be measured
by its diameter indentation depth is characterized δw′

V. Theoretical Analysis for Shocking Force and

MMR

This section is discussed on the development of analytical

model for shocking force and for metal removal rate based on
the mechanics of material removal in ultrasonic machining
process.

5.1 Nature of Material Damage

In USM process, the mechanism of metal removal can be

as discussed as the effect of impact of indentation and fracture.
The impact indentation means that the grit pushed by the end
face of the tool head parameter the work piece surface with a
given speed. The impact is combined the effect of both grits
and the tool head which energy and momentum pass through
the grits to work piece. As shown figure the tool moves from it Figure 7: MRR vs Amplitude
position Q it touches the larger grains, which forced into the
tool comes to the surface of the work pieces. Amplitude a0 6.1 Theoretical Results and Experimental Verification and
from tool motion in sinusoidal. Discussion

Y= aSin 0 θ They took glass as model for testing because it’s isotropy,
homogeneity and general availability. Its young modulus is
The force between the tool and the abrasive particles is 70Gpa, Poisson ratio 0.17, hardness of glass is 505Gpa,
effective small portion of the cycle and the free sinusoidal fracture toughness is 0.75Mpa and material of tool was
motion it was assumed that the motion of tool remain considered by taking mild steel. The parameter of cutting was
sinusoidal under the loaded condition, the force Fc acts considered.
𝜋
between 𝜃 s and 2 as shown in figure. Total depth of
6.2 Theoretical Analysis of Material Removal Rate
indentation is given by
A theoretical analysis of material removal rate can be
𝛿𝑤 = 𝑎0 − 𝑦s
made by considering impact of abrasive grain of work piece
Ys - Distance between the tools has moved downward from its and tool.
position.
6.2.1 Nature of Material Damage
VI. Geometry of Indentation and Real Contact Zone Figure 1 Shown the material removal rate mechanism of
Width USM. Tool moves downward from it mean position which
touches grain. When tool continues to move down force exert
Description of surface of work piece and behavior of
on the workpiece grain which result in fracture of workpiece
grain is very difficult to predict due to random arrangement of
he assumed the abrasive particles are incompressible and
grain. Some assumption was made to predict the MRR. As per
obtain the depth of indentation by using depth of penetration
the model the abrasive is a spherical budge as shown in Figure
and tool motion with its amplitude by assuming the motion of
2 grit diameter ξ help in knowing the type of abrasive
tool is sinusoidal.
particle. So, it is assumed that local spherical budges have a
uniform diameter ξb

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Volume 3, Issue 11, pp 82-89, November - 2019

brittle materials, glass, ceramics and metals. We can see the

method of machining process in the article above, and its type
of machining. Also we can the parametric optimization of
ultrasonic machining process by gravitational search process,
which is one of the advanced type of machining process and
this process is limited for some extent due to complex
procedure and requires a skilled operator, about it can be seen
in detail and in further research we can even study about fire
work ultrasonic machining process system. In the latest
technology in ultrasonic machining process, we can see that
the ultrasonic machining can even cut a thick metal when
latest technology is used and we come to know about it. We
can use ultrasonic machining process for milling and we can
Figure 8: Mechanism of Material Removal Rate
also mill the plastic in ultrasonic machining process. As time
passes, the technology of ultrasonic machine also gets
modernized and advancement in technology, so we can see
some of the recent advancement in ultrasonic machining at
present as given above. Ultrasonic machining is also used for
micro components which can be milled or machined and the
process, methods and its advancements can be seen above. We
come to know about the process parameters of ultrasonic
machining and its tool feed mechanism, and material removal
rate of the various ultrasonic machining processes. We have
provided some of the satisfactory pictures and graph for
ultrasonic machining process above. These are some of the
Figure 9: Geometry at Grit-Work Interface
main topics of ultrasonic machining process which we have
6.2.2 Rate of Material Removal studied and worked on it, and we thus conclude our review
report here.
Considering the grit-work interface after indentation fig 8
by taking radius of the contact indentation zone in the work REFERENCES
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ISSN (online): 2581-3048

Volume 3, Issue 11, pp 82-89, November - 2019

machining. International Journal of Machine Tools machining. International Journal of Machine Tool
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Citation of this Article:

Nagendra A Raikar, Ramashiva R, Yathish N, T S Nanjundeswaraswamy, “Ultrasonic Machining Process” Published in

International Research Journal of Innovations in Engineering and Technology (IRJIET), Volume 3, Issue 11, pp 82-89,
November 2019.

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