Key Engineering Materials Vols. 447-448

Abstract: This paper presents results for the machining of materials typically applied in ultra precision machining in comparison to a nitrocarburized tool steel. Analyzing and evaluating the machining results regarding surface integrity lead to recommendations for the ultra precision machining of this new mold material. The influence of feed, depth of cut and cutting speed on surface quality, resulting cutting forces and tool wear have been investigated. The results show that the decisive factor for the ultra precision machining of nitrocarburized tool steel are the significantly higher cutting forces. In some cases the high cutting forces lead to vibrations during the turning process deteriorating the surface integrity. Therefore, tool nose radius and depth of cut have to be reduced to minimize the cutting forces and avoid the vibrations.

Abstract: The effects of different cutting parameters, insert nose radius, cutting speed and feed rates on the surface quality of the stainless steel to be use in medical application. Stainless steel AISI 316 had been machined with three different nose radiuses (0.4 mm 0.8 mm, and 1.2mm), three different cutting speeds (100, 130, 170 m/min) and feed rates (0.1, 0.125, 0.16 mm/rev) while depth of cut keep constant at (0.4 mm). It is seen that the insert nose radius, feed rates, and cutting speed have different effect on the surface roughness. The minimum average surface roughness (0.225µm) has been measured using the nose radius insert (1.2 mm) at lowest feed rate (0.1 mm/rev). The highest surface roughness (1.838µm) has been measured with nose radius insert (0.4 mm) at highest feed rate (0.16 mm/rev). The analysis of ANOVA showed the cutting speed is not dominant in processing for the fine surface finish compared with feed rate and nose radius. Conclusion, surface roughness is decreasing with decreasing of the feed rate. High nose radius produce better surface finish than small nose radius because of the maximum uncut chip thickness decreases with increase of nose radius.

Abstract: Micro milling is gaining ground as the preferred process for the manufacture of micro/meso-scale components in conventional workpiece materials, in particular for miniature moulds and tooling inserts (~ 60HRC), for the plastics injection moulding industry. Following a brief literature review on microscale milling and associated machine tool/tooling developments, experimental results are presented in relation to spindle thermal growth for a compensated/cooled spindle operating at up to 60,000 rpm, designed to accommodate the machining of meso-scale/micro-scale components. The work involved investigation of spindle warm up and cool down rates for speeds ranging from 30,000 - 60,000 rpm and subsequently the evaluation of spindle growth using both non-contact and contact measuring systems. Growth levels of up to 16µm were detected despite active spindle cooling and the incorporation of a standard compensation algorithm within the control system. Modification to spindle acceleration and deceleration rates reduced error levels by up to 50%.

Abstract: We designed and manufactured a prototype of a unique CMP machine, which can perform double-side CMP simultaneously in a sealed and pressure container as regarding effective action of the processing atmosphere around workpieces as important. Polishing experiments with single crystal silicon (Si) wafers (100) are performed by charging the container with various gases. As a result, the removal rates increased by up to 25% under high pressure oxygen gas atmosphere.

Abstract: The ultra-precision polishing assisted by the ultraviolet rays irradiation was performed to achieve the atomic-scale planarization of the single crystal diamond substrates. This polishing method is a novel and simple polishing method characterizing by a quartz disk and an ultraviolet irradiation device. The principle three crystal planes of the diamond substrate were polished by this method. The polished surfaces were evaluated by an optical interferometric profilers (Wyko), an atom force microscope (AFM) and LEED (low-energy electron diffraction). The surface roughness of the polished diamond substrates was evaluated as 0.2 ~ 0.4 nmRa in (100), (110) and (111) crystal planes. The LEED (low-energy electron diffraction) patterns indicated the almost perfect crystallographic structure without the residual processed strain beneath the polished surface. In this paper, the optimum polishing condition to achieve the atomic-scale planarization of the diamond substrates has been investigated by the evaluation of LEED patterns, Wyko and AFM images. The mechanismof the ultraviolet rays assisted polishing is discussed in detail.

Abstract: In recent years, the achievement of further high flatness of workpiece edge shape is strongly required in mirror finishing. Especially, the edge roll off of silicon wafers as the substrates of semiconductor devices is demanded to decrease in the polishing process for raising the yield of IC chips. Many theoretical and experimental analyses for the edge roll off generation have been already done to meet the demand. The analyses, however, cannot fully account for the obtained edge shape in actual polishing. Concretely, the influence of the polishing pressure as one of the key polishing conditions on the edge roll off has not been clarified. In this study, the influence of the polishing pressure on the edge shape was investigated by the polishing experiments and the edge roll off generation analyses using the model based on the viscoelasticity of the polishing pad, which was proposed in the previous study. And it was revealed that an appropriate polishing pressure is needed to be set for achieving high flatness of workpiece edge shape with the consideration of the properties of applied polishing pads.

Abstract: This paper reports investigations in machining of thin substrates with thickness less than 100m. The machining process induces severe plastic deformation through the thickness of the machined thin workpiece due to the high ratio of the depth of cut to workpiece thickness. The diamond face turning is used to machine thin workpieces down to a thickness less than 100m. The microstructure of the machined sample is studied and x-ray diffraction used to observe the crystallographic orientation / texture. The microstructures of the thin machined workpieces are seen to become more random, denser, and finer with the shape of the grains less elongated as compare to the bulk and thick machined sample. The x-ray diffraction analyses indicate that machining of thin substrates changes the texture or orientation. Different deformation mechanisms may occur when machining thin workpiece especially at thicknesses below 100m.

Abstract: Structural SiC (α-type) is believed to be widely applied in hostile environments such as high-temperature, high-corrosive applications in the semiconductor industries due to its superior thermo-physical and mechanical properties. However, the extremely high hardness and brittleness of SiC makes hole drilling difficult by the conventional mechanical drilling (CMD) technique. Laser can be used to drill SiC; but the resultant holes are often tapered and uneven, with tendency for microcracks and thermal damage to occur at the hole entry due to the high thermal shock from the laser. This paper reports on the experimental results of a sequential laser-mechanical drilling (LMD) technique for drilling α-SiC. At first, an Nd:YAG laser was used to drill a series of pilot holes on a 3 mm thick SiC plate. Then a diamond-coated carbide drill was sequentially applied to these holes to obtain desired hole diameter of 0.5 mm. A number of through holes on SiC (aspect ratio: 6) were successfully obtained using this approach. The quality of the drilled holes were assessed in terms of the entrance and exit sizes and conditions, hole taper angle, hole edge shapes, and microcracks. Finally, comparisons of the LMD performances were also made against the holes predrilled by the laser itself and holes of the similar size drilled separately with the CMD technique. The experiment results show that the proposed drilling approach can effectively drill α-SiC ceramics.

Abstract: Nanoscience and nanotechnology is one of the most important researches in the 21st century. This paper took the application of nanotechnology for mechanical manufacturing as a point of departure, discussed the nano-material technology, nano-processing technology, nano-assembly technology and nano-measurement technology in mechanical manufacturing, and described the resulting theory nano-mechanics which was different from the traditional mechanics. Moreover the important role of nano-technology for the development of mechanical manufacturing was pointed out at the end of the paper.

Abstract: The requirement of the ultra-precision machine tools for ductile cutting of hard brittle materials was examined experimentally. One of the essential factors of achieving ductile mode cutting was not only high-resolution feedback control but also the dynamic performance of the machine tool in forming solid immersion lens of monocrystalline silicon. We also proposed newly developed method for ultra-precision machine tools, which does not have enough high dynamic performance in order to achieve ductile mode cutting of the hard brittle materials. An additional device consisted of air slider on the machine tool was applied to cutting of glass in order to keep stable ductile mode cutting. We fabricated high-value added structure, which are designed a diffraction grating, consisted of micro groove on a borosilicate crown glass surface with the developed device.