Laser-assisted machining (LAM) of silicon nitride is evaluated for its potential to become an economically viable process in fabricating precision ceramic parts. On-line measurements of cutting force and workpiece temperature are performed, and tool wear and surface integrity are examined. Tool wear characteristics are determined as a function of workpiece temperature, which is measured on-line using a laser pyrometer. Tool wear/failure mechanisms are characterized using optical microscopy, while application of scanning electron microscopy to heated and machined surfaces, as well as to chips, is used to infer material removal mechanisms and the extent of damage caused by LAM. The sub-surface damage of parts produced by LAM is compared with that of typical ground parts.
Issue Section:
Technical Papers
1.
Allor
, R. L.
, and Jahanmir
, S.
, 1996
, “Current Problems and Future Directions for Ceramic Machining
,” Am. Ceram. Soc. Bull.
, 75
, No. 7
, pp. 40
–43
.2.
Ko¨nig, W., and Wagemann, A., 1993, “Machining of Ceramic Components: Process-Technological Potentials,” Machining of Advanced Materials, NIST Special Publication 847, pp. 3–16.
3.
Chryssolouris
, G.
, Anifantis
, N.
, and Karagiannis
, S.
, 1997
, “Laser Assisted Machining: An Overview
,” ASME J. Manuf. Sci. Eng.
, 119
, pp. 766
–769
.4.
Mochida
, Y.
, Nishioda
, T.
, Yamakawa
, A.
, Tanaka
, Y.
, Ogura
, Y.
, Nakao
, H.
, and Miyake
, M.
, 1997
, “Ultra-High-Speed Grinding of Si3N4 Ceramics
,” J. Ceram. Soc. Jpn.
, 105
, No. 1225
, pp. 784
–788
.5.
Hahn
, R.
, and Schulze
, P.
, 1993
, “Ultrasonic Machining of Glass and Ceramics
,” Am. Ceram. Soc. Bull.
, 72
, No. 8
, pp. 102
–106
.6.
Chand
, R. H.
, and Guo
, C.
, 1996
, “What’s Happening with Machining of Ceramics?
” Manuf. Eng.
, 117
, No. 4
, pp. 74
–81
.7.
Petrofes
, N. F.
, and Gadalla
, A. M.
, 1988
, “Electrical Discharge Machining of Advanced Ceramics
,” Ceram. Bull.
, 67
, No. 6
, pp. 1048
–52
.8.
Tuersley
, I. P.
, Jawaid
, A.
, and Pashby
, I. R.
, 1994
, “Review: Various Methods of Machining Advanced Ceramic Materials
,” J. Mater. Process. Technol.
, 42
, pp. 377
–390
.9.
Bass, M., Beck, D., and Copley, S. M., 1978, “Laser Assisted Machining,” Proceedings of the Fourth European Electro-Optics Conference, Utrecht, Netherlands, pp. 233–240.
10.
Copley, S. M., 1983, “Laser Shaping of Materials,” Lasers in Materials Processing, Proceedings of ASM Conference, Los Angeles, California, pp. 82–92.
11.
Ko¨nig
, W.
, Cronja¨ger
, L.
, Spur
, G.
, To¨nshoff
, H. K.
, Vigneau
, M.
, and Zdeblick
, W. J.
, 1990
, “Machining of New Materials
,” CIRP Ann.
, 39/2
, pp. 673
–681
.12.
Ko¨nig, W., and Zaboklicki, U., 1993, “Laser-Assisted Hot Machining of Ceramics and Composite Materials,” Machining of Advanced Materials, NIST Special Publication 847, pp. 455–463.
13.
Rozzi
, J. C.
, Pfefferkorn
, F. E.
, Incropera
, F. P.
, and Shin
, Y. C.
, 2000
, “Experimental Evaluation of the Laser-Assisted Machining of Silicon Nitride Ceramics
,” ASME J. Manuf. Sci. Eng.
, 122
, pp. 666
–670
.14.
Rozzi
, J. C.
, Pfefferkorn
, F. E.
, Incropera
, F. P.
, and Shin
, Y. C.
, 2000
, “Transient, Three-Dimensional Heat Transfer Model for the Laser Assisted Machining of a Silicon Nitride Ceramic: Part I- Comparison with Measured Surface Temperature Histories
,” Int. J. Heat Mass Transf.
, 43
, pp. 1409
–1424
.15.
Pfefferkorn
, F. E.
, Rozzi
, J. C.
, Incropera
, F. P.
, and Shin
, Y. C.
, 1997
, “Surface Temperature Measurement in Laser-Assisted Machining Processes
,” Exp. Heat Transfer
, 10
, No. 4
, pp. 291
–313
.16.
Wang
, L.
, He
, C.
, and Wu
, J.
, 1992
, “Oxidation of Sintered Silicon Nitride: I. Phase Composition and Microstructure
,” Mater. Sci. Eng., A
, A157
, pp. 125
–130
.17.
Solomah, A. G., 1993, “Laser Machining of Silicon Nitride Ceramics,” Machining of Advanced Materials, NIST Special Publication 847, pp. 543–547.
18.
Xu
, H. H. K.
, Jahanmir
, S.
, and Ives
, K.
, 1996
, “Material Removal and Damage Formation Mechanisms in Grinding Silicon Nitride
,” J. Mater. Res.
, 11
, No. 7
, pp. 1717
–1724
.Copyright © 2001
by ASME
You do not currently have access to this content.
