Introduction to

Hybrid Machining Processes

 Limitations of Advanced Machining
• For mechanical energy based unconventional machining
processes (eg. Ultrasonic machining) main limitations are high
tool wear, high power consumption, low material removal
rate (MRR) and detoriation in surface finish at higher cutting
speed.

• For electrical energy based unconventional machining

processes (eg. ECM and EDM) main limitations are inability for
machining of non conductive materials, unwanted erosion
and over cutting of materials.

• For thermal energy based unconventional machining

processes (eg. LBM, PAM) main limitations are generation of
heat affected zone, low energy efficiency, high power
consumption and high capital cost.
Problems with Non-traditional Machining Processes

Electro Chemical Machining:

 Applied for only conductive materials
 Risk of corrosion
 Difficult to design proper tooling system
 Actual size and shape may not be obtained
 Fatigue property of machined component may be reduced

Electric discharge Machining:

 Applied for only conductive materials
 Tool wear
 Problem of Taper and Over cut
 Difficult to produce sharp corners
 Potential fire hazard

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Abrasive Jet Machining:
 Mostly suitable for brittle materials
 Accuracy is not so good
 Abrasive powders may not be re-used
 Possibility of damage of nozzle
 Not suitable for mass production
 Soft material may not be machined

Ultrasonic Machining:
 Mostly suitable for brittle materials
 Problem of overcut and dimensional accuracy
 Horn design is difficult
 Not suitable for mass production
 Soft material may not be machined

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 For EBM and IBM Vacuum is required – The operation is complex and equipments
are very costly.
 Affected thickness is low (<1 mm).
 PBM affects larger area hence dimensional accuracy/control is poor.

Laser Beam Machining:

 Very low energy efficiency.
 HAZ, Recast layer formation, kerf taper/hole taper
 Thermal damage 5
 Hybrid Machining Processes
 The HMP is a concept that combines two or more different
machining/physical/chemical processes in simultaneous/
sequential manner in order to accommodate the advantages
and offset the limitations of constituent processes.

 The development and application of a hybrid process should

be as such that it enhances the advantages and minimize the
disadvantages found in the individual techniques.

 The simultaneous effect of process technologies (e.g. lower

process forces, less tool wear) enhances the productivity
and/or makes machining of material possible which can not
be machined by single (conventionally applied) process.
• Conventional grinding process produces good surface finish and
low value of tolerances but the machined parts are associated by
burrs, heat affected zone, and residual stress. However, ECM
components do not have such defects but possess with low MRR.
The hybrid ECG process overcomes both the limitations.

• ECM and EDM are processes which cannot machine electrically

non-conducting materials. While ECDM can do so.

• EDM and LBM have problem of recast layer formation. When

combined with USM, UAEDM and UALBM minimizes or
removes the recast layer and enhanced the MRR
 Hybrid Machining - Variations
• Based on literature survey, hybrid machining process may be
classified in two categories:

(1) Assisted hybrid machining processes in which material

removal mechanism is defined mainly by the primary process,
The secondary process only assists. For example laser assisted
turning .

(2) Mixed hybrid machining process in which the material

removal mechanism occurs due to controlled combination of
both machining processes. In this type of hybrid machining
process the contribution of both the machining process is
almost same. For example Electro Chemical Discharge
Machining
Detailed Classification of Hybrid Machining
 Laser Assisted Machining

Laser assisted machining utilizes external • Cutting forces and tool wear reduces due
heat source (Laser Beam) to increase the to preheating up to 50% and 30%
temperature of the cutting area to respectively.
facilitate the processing of material.
Preheating lowers the shear strength in • Machining of super alloys, ceramics and
metals and allows plastic deformation in a composites are possible with the application
more easier way. of LAT.
 1

0.8

0.6 Titanium alloy

Ra, µm

Stainless steel
0.4
Aluminium allloy
0.2

0
LAM CONV. Machining

Fig. Comparison of surface roughness of LAM and Conventional machining

for different materials

The above figure shows comparison of surface roughness for laser assisted
machining/turning for different metal alloys and it is shown here that for every metal alloy
value of surface is low in the case of laser assisted machining due to reduction in cutting
forces generated by preheating of laser beam.
 450
400
350
300
Force(N)

250 cutting force

200 feed force
150
radial force
100
50
0
200(CONV) 200(LAM) 250(LAM) 300(LAM)

Cutting speed(mm/min)
Fig. Comparison of cutting forces of LAM and Conventional machining

The above graph shows that comparison of different cutting forces on different cutting speed
for conventional machining and laser assisted machining and it shown here that value of
cutting forces decreases in the case of laser assisted machining because Preheating lowers the
shear strength in metals and allows plastic deformation more easily.
 Ultrasonic Vibration Assisted EDM

• Vibration of tool improves the ability of material removal because of better fluid circulation.

• The roughness of the machined surface and residual stress also decreases due to vibration.

• When ultrasonic vibration is applied on the tool electrode of the EDM, circulation of dielectric
improves ejection of material melted from the surface of workpiece, as a result of a large
hydrostatic pressure charge in the working gap.
 Fig. Schematic diagram of experimental setup of UVAEDM

The above figure presents experimental setup of ultrasonic vibration assisted EDM
process. A high frequency and low amplitude vibration is provided to the tool electrode
due to which machining occurs in a more better way.
 Electro Chemical Grinding

•MRR achieved from ECG is 10

times better than conventional
grinding.
II III
• Declogging is also possible
here within the process.

 I Zone: material removal takes place due to pure electro chemical action
means, transfer of electrons between the ions and the electrodes completes the electric
circuit and the metal is detached atom by atom, from the anode surface and appears in
the electrolyte as positive ions.

 II Zone: material is removed due to combined action of electrolyte and grinding

action, here abrasive grains removes material from the workpiece in the form of chips
and also removes non reactive oxide layer.

 III Zone: material removes purely Due to electrochemical dissolution. This zone
contributes to the removal of burrs formed in zone 2
 Electric Discharge Abrasive Grinding

 The sparking continuously does in-process dressing of grinding wheel so that active grains
are continuously exposed to the work surface and wheel also doesn’t clog.

 The workpiece surface is soften by the spark so that it is easily machined by the abrasive
grains

 The spark removes the material through melting and vaporization.