UNIT-4 Conventional and Unconventional Machining Process
UNIT-4 Conventional and Unconventional Machining Process
UNIT-4 Conventional and Unconventional Machining Process
Grinding Machine:
The precision and surface finish obtained through grinding can be up to ten times
better than with either turning or milling.
Grinding employs an abrasive product, usually a rotating wheel brought into
controlled contact with a work surface.
The grinding wheel is composed of abrasive grains held together in a binder. These
abrasive grains act as cutting tools, removing tiny chips of material from the
workpiece. As these abrasive grains wear and become dull, the amount of material
removed per wheel revolution decreases.
The grinding wheel is then dressed, which is a process of removing the abrasive
grains from the wheel’s surface so that it will again cut cleanly. The wheel is then
reconditioned, which is a process of vitrifying the bonding material to make it
harder and stronger.
Another common type of grinding machine is the cylindrical grinder, which is used
to remove material from cylindrical surfaces.
The grinding process can be very precise and produce very smooth finishes.
However, it can also be very time-consuming and expensive, depending on the
type of grinding machine and the materials being used.
Working Principle
The fundamental principle of Abrasive jet machining involves the use of a
high-speed stream of abrasive particles carried by a high-pressure gas or air
on the work surface through a nozzle. The metal is removed due to erosion
caused by the abrasive particles impacting the work surface at high
speed. With repeated impacts, small bits of material get loosened and a fresh
surface is exposed to the jet.
This process is mainly employed for such machining works which are
otherwise difficult, such as thin sections of hard metals and alloys, cutting of
material which is sensitive of heat damage, producing intricate holes,
deburring, etching, polishing etc.
1. Gas supply
2. Nozzle
3. Abrasive
4. Workpiece
5. Pressure regulator
6. Filters
7. Foot control valve
8. Holder
9. Hood
#1 Gas Supply
#2 Abrasive
The abrasives generally used are silicon carbide, aluminium oxide, glass
powder or specially prepared sodium bicarbonate. The common particle sizes
vary from 10 microns to 50 microns. Smaller sizes are used for good surface
finish and precision work. While larger sizes are used for rapid removal rate.
Nozzles have a great degree of abrasion wear, they are made of hard
materials such as tungsten carbide or synthetic sapphire to reduce the wear
rate. Nozzles made of tungsten carbide have an average life of 8 to 12 hours.
While nozzles of sapphire last for about 300 hours of operation when used
with 27-micron abrasive powder. The gases used are nitrogen, carbon dioxide
or clean air.
#4 Workpiece
The metal removal rate depends upon the diameter of the nozzle, the
composition of the abrasive gas mixture, the hardness of abrasive particles
and that of work material, particle size, the velocity of jet and distance of the
workpiece from the jet. A typical material removal rate for abrasive jet
machining is 16 mm/min in cutting glass.
This pipeline carries a pressure gauge and a regulator to control the gas flow
and its pressure. The mixing chamber, carrying the abrasive particles is
vibrated and the amplitude of these vibrations controls the flow of abrasive
particles.
These particles mic in the gas stream, travel further through a hose and finally
pass through the nozzle at a considerably high speed. This outgoing high-
speed stream of the mixture of gas and abrasive particles is known as
abrasive jet.
Applications
The process finds application in cutting slots, thin sections, contouring,
drilling, for producing shallow crevices, deburring, and for producing
intricate shapes in hard and brittle materials.
It is often used for cleaning and polishing of plastic, nylon and Teflon
components, the frosting of the interior surface of the glass tubes,
etching of markings on glass cylinders, etc.
It is used for deburring, etching, and cleaning of brittle metals, alloys,
and non-metallic materials.
Polishing of plastic, Nyon can be done easily.
Drilling can be done easily.
The fragile material can be easily machined.
Advantages of Abrasive Jet Machining
1. Ability to cut intricate hole shapes in materials of any hardness and
brittleness.
2. Ability to cut fragile and heat-sensitive materials without damage as no
heat is generated due to the passing of gas or air.
3. Normally inaccessible portions can be machined with fairly good
accuracy.
4. Low capital cost.
Disadvantage of Abrasive Jet Machining
The disadvantages of the process lie in the following:
1. The material removal rate is slow and its application is therefore limited.
2. Flaring can become large.
3. The machining accuracy is poor and the nozzle wear rate is high.
4. Additional cleaning of the work surface may occur as there is a
possibility of sticking abrasive grains in softer materials.
5. It is an expensive process.
The main components are the electric power supply, the dielectric medium,
the workpiece and the tool, and the servo control.