Machines

Fundamental mechanics of micro-machining

January 2011

The program of the MAM continues and again yesterday afternoon high value conferences took places. Prof. J. Rhett Mayor, Assistant Professor, Georgia Institute of Technology (USA) presented the results of their studies on micromachining (just one conference that I decided to highlight).

Obviously we all know the cutting edge of inserts or tools, but when we come to machine very small parts, it appears that the cutting edge isn’t that sharp… in fact we cut with a round cutting edge. What happens really on a micro scale? Results of the studies are amazing.

Not every tooth is cutting The chip is generated by an intermittent process, each tooth pushes the material a little bit and suddenly the chip is generated. The feed rate must be calculated very precisely because we actually do want to remove chip and not only push material.

New way to generate tool paths In micromachining the second trouble is that the tool is often too big compared to the part to machine and the algorithms used to calculate the tool paths are not thought to machine micro parts, then some very small sections don’t exactly show the right path. The Georgia Institute of Technology developed variable feed rate and intelligent segmentation of tool path in order to address these troubles.

Challenges There are many challenges to face, machining with HS spindles with tools the size of a few hairs or less isn’t an exact easy game, but there are a lot to win. The shape of the tool must also be thought, by the fact the chips are removed “step by step” the tool is subject to hits that make it react… and obviously at that scale, a few microns are already too much.

The results show already very impressive figures. With a new algorithm, the realization of a small micro milled part needed 8.69 sec instead of 18.89 sec.

For those who are working in micro machining, this study is really full of promises…. And people who are here at MAM had the opportunity to get in touch with M. Mayor directly.

Being present in MAM seems to be more and more an asset.

There is more to come… Cheers Py

http://www.mam2011.org/ http://www.me.gatech.edu/faculty/mayor.shtml

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Fundamental mechanics of micro-machining

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