Certainly! Non-conventional machining processes, also known
as non-traditional machining processes, are the processes that remove material
from a workpiece using techniques other than the traditional cutting methods.
These processes are typically used when the traditional methods are inadequate,
such as for very hard, brittle materials, or for producing complex shapes and
geometries. Here's a summary of some common non-conventional machining
processes:
1. Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM):
- Principle: Uses electrical sparks to
remove material.
- Applications: Mold-making, die sinking, and
creating complex or small shapes that are difficult to achieve with
traditional machining.
2. Wire Electrical Discharge Machining (Wire EDM):
- Principle: Uses a thin wire as the
electrode to cut a narrow kerf in the workpiece.
- Applications: Producing punches, tools, and
dies from hardened materials.
3. Electrochemical Machining (ECM):
- Principle: Material removal by anodic
dissolution, using electrode and workpiece submerged in an electrolyte.
- Applications: Producing aerospace
components, and intricate shapes in hard and high-strength materials.
4. Laser Beam Machining (LBM):
- Principle: Uses a high-intensity laser
beam to vaporize material.
- Applications: Drilling micro-holes, cutting
thin and hard materials, and in medical applications for removing unwanted
tissues.
5. Ultrasonic Machining (USM):
- Principle: Uses ultrasonic vibrations of
a tool to remove material by micro-chipping or erosion with abrasive
particles.
- Applications: Machining brittle materials
like ceramics, glass, and precious stones.
6. Plasma Arc Machining (PAM):
- Principle: Uses a plasma arc
(high-temperature ionized gas) to melt and vaporize the material.
- Applications: Cutting and gouging processes,
especially for metals.
7. Abrasive Jet Machining (AJM):
- Principle: Uses a high-velocity jet of
abrasive particles to erode material.
- Applications: Machining heat-sensitive,
brittle, and thin materials; and creating intricate profiles and details.
8. Water Jet Machining (WJM):
- Principle: Uses a high-pressure jet of
water to cut materials.
- Applications: Cutting softer materials like
rubber, foam, or textiles.
9. Electron Beam Machining (EBM):
- Principle: Uses a high-velocity electron
beam to vaporize material.
- Applications: Precision drilling and
micro-perforating, especially in aerospace and semi-conductor industries.
10. Chemical Machining (CHM):
- Principle: Uses chemicals to selectively
remove material.
- Applications: Producing intricate shapes,
and in etching circuit patterns.