PrimeTurning™ is a new turning technology, which consists of tools and programming method. By using this method, it has been demonstrated that higher material removal rates and flexibility in turning can be obtained.  The New Product Industrialisation department at AB Sandvik Coromant works with development of production processes and improvements in current processes.Machining tests are carried out in order to improve production performance, and find optimised solutions.  In this master thesis work, the effect of insert grades and entering angles on wear and tool life while machining hardened tool steel has been studied. Machining experiments have been carried out to analyse wear and tool life by using the PrimeTurning™ method.Two approaches of experimental design have been investigated, and a suitable design is selected for conducting the experiments.  The performance of these insert grades and tool holders (κ=21° and κ=25°) has been compared to each other and the existing production scenario, and a recommendation is made regarding insert grade,tool holder and cutting parameter selection for machining hardened tool steel using PrimeTurning™. The wear analysis has been performed by using a stereo microscope coupled with an image processing software to measure the flank wear length. Flank wear, flaking and chipping have been observed as the major wear types.  As a result, it has been identified that the insert grade GXXC, coupled with the tailor-made tool holder performs significantly better than the currently used insert and tool holder in production. A substantial increase in tool life increase is observed, even when machining at a higher Material Removal Rate of 29%. This would result in a significant increase productivity, if the results can be reproduced in production. / PrimeTurning ™ är en ny svarvningsteknik som består av verktyg och programmeringsmetod. Genom att använda denna metod har det visats att högre materialavlägsningshastigheter och flexibilitet vid svarvning kan uppnås.  Avdelningen för nyproduktionsindustrialisering på AB Sandvik Coromant arbetar med utveckling av produktionsprocesser och förbättringar av nuvarande processer. Maskintester genomförs för att förbättra produktionsprestanda och hitta optimerade lösningar  I det här examensarbetet som utförts vid AB Sandvik Coromant har effekten av skärsorter och ställvinklar på slitage och livslängd vid bearbetning av härdat verktygsstål studerats. Maskinbearbetningsexperiment har utförts för att analysera slitage och verktygslivslängd med hjälp av PrimeTurning ™ -metoden. Två metoder för experimentell design har undersökts och en lämplig design väljs för att utföra experimenten.  Prestandan hos dessa skärsorter och verktygshållare (κ = 21 ° och κ = 25 °) har jämförts med varandra och det nuvarande produktionsscenariot, och en rekommendation görs beträffande skärsort, verktygshållare och val av skärparametrar för maskinbearbetning av verktygsstål med PrimeTurning ™. Förslitningsanalysen har utförts med användning av ett stereomikroskop kopplat till en bildbehandlingsprogramvara för att mäta längden av fasförslitningen. Fasförslitning, urflisning och flagning har observerats som de viktigaste typerna av förslitning.  Studiens resultat visar att skäret GXXC, i kombination med den skräddarsydda verktygshållaren presterar avsevärt bättre än det för närvarande använda skäret och verktygshållaren i produktionen. En kraftig ökning av livslängden på verktyg observeras även vid bearbetning med en högre Spånavverkningshastighet på 29%. Om dessa resultat kan reproduceras i produktionen kan en betydande produktivitetsökning erhållas.

<p>Modern aeroengine design focuses on reducing overall weight and improving component service life. For fan blade assemblies, the blades and hub/shaft are attached by the most common dovetail (or fir tree) attachment design, which experiences fretting fatigue at the joint resulting in lower reliability and higher repair difficulty. A new joining design that connects blade /disk by welding and eliminates the attachment, has been implemented in military and commercial aeroengines. This joining design is most suitable for large diameter fan blades where single piece machining is impractical and time consuming. The joined blade requires post-process machining to remove excess weld material. However, because of varying assembly geometry, joints must be individually measured and tool paths consequently adjusted to match actual surface locations. The objective of this thesis is to develop an automated and geometrically adaptive post-process weld machining system.</p> <p>This thesis proposes a solution that integrates surface digitization, computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided manufacturing (CAM) systems, to accommodate the part-to-part variation issue. The integrated system includes precise laser digitizing, geometric modelling, tool path customizing, coordinate registration and CNC machining. The core algorithm was designed on the open and object-oriented C++ ACIS/HOOPS kernel. The customized tool paths are prepared based on the misalignment distance measured by laser digitizing, and a custom developed mathematical correction algorithm that can be implemented on a typical personal computer. At present, the machining process is designed for a three-axis machine tool. Suggested future works include implementation on a five-axis machine, and feed rate optimized tool paths.</p> / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

<p> Lithium niobate has interesting characteristics such as the electro-optic effect, the acousto-optic effect, piezoelectricity and large nonlinear optical coefficients. Potential applications in MEMS field could be explored if microstructures are fabricated in lithium niobate substrates,. This thesis presents the fabrication and characterization of a lithium niobate MEMS device. As lithium niobate crystal is difficult to process using standard semiconductor techniques including both wet etching and dry etching, new methods are required to process lithium niobate. In our project, picosecond laser pulses were chosen to produce bridges on lithium niobate. Fabrication of grooves with high aspect ratio were attempted and grooves with clean morphology were obtained when laser pulses with low cutting speed, medium pulse energy, and large number of passes were employed. This shows picosecond laser machining is a viable method to process lithium niobate.</p> <p> Waveguides in Z cut lithium niobate crystal were fabricated using Ti-indiffusion techniques. After the fabrication of waveguides in lithium niobate, a SiO2 film with a thickness of 0.3μm was deposited as a buffer layer. Ti-Pt-Au electrodes for actuation function were then deposited through lift-off technique. Finally a bridge structure (80um in width and 600um in length) with a waveguide embedded in it was fabricated with picosecond laser. The insertion loss before and after laser machining was 6.99dB and 5.01dB respectively.</p> <p> Optical and electrical tests were performed in an effort to determine the resonance frequency of bridge. In the optical test, many bulk piezoelectric resonance peaks were presented in the frequency spectrum. After damping the vibration of substrate, these spikes disappeared and only a background noise with small spikes were obtained. As those small spikes are not reproducible, the optical test is not a viable method to determine resonance frequency of the bridge structure in our device. The electrical test was then carried out in a vacuum environment in order to find the resonance frequency. The spectrum presents a spike with large amplitude. However, the phase and amplitude of the spike remained the same when the vacuum condition was removed, which indicates the spike is not related to the resonance of the bridge. In summary, the resonance frequency of bridge structure could not be determined by these two approaches.</p> <p> Future work could involve directly investigating the material properties surrounding the machining region to see whether the piezoelectricity of the material has been damaged from laser ablation process. New laser machining process of lithium niobate may also need to be studied to avoid this damage to the substrate structure. Even though our device could not be driven to vibrate at its resonance frequency, it is worth making microstructures in lithium niobate substrates. The combination of optical, mechanical and electrical elements will make lithium niobate a great potential material for optical MEMS applications.</p> / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

<p> Flexible manufacturing systems and lean production philosophies are in increasing industrial demand. Multiple manufacturing processes integrated into stand alone automated equipment can be utilized to greatly reduce operation costs. New technologies are continually being developed that can be easily combined with related manufacturing processes. Flexible machining and surface hardening operations can be realized in a single set-up by integrating a high-power diode laser (HPDL) within a machine tool structure.</p> <p> The following research presents the concept of integrated laser surface hardening within a machine tool environment. Experimental work was performed using a HPDL for transformation hardening of AISI 4140 steel.</p> <p> Both quasi-steady analytical and transient finite element heat transfer models have been developed. Solutions of the models are compared, which show that the more sophisticated finite element modeling is necessary only if accuracy of peak surface temperature is important. Otherwise, the simpler but faster analytical model can be used to describe the temperature profiles during laser heating.</p> <p> A novel approach using temperature indicating lacquers was shown to be a simple and reliable tool for temperature measurement. The analytical model was further used to find a best fit with the experimental measurements to estimate the fraction of laser power absorbed by the workpiece surface. With the aid of the model, it was shown that the austenite transformation temperature is highly dependent on the scanning speed. For slower speeds, the transform temperature was closer to the A3 temperature given by the iron-iron carbide phase diagram. Tests performed at faster scanning speeds indicated transformation temperatures as high as 1230 °C.</p> <p> Experiments were divided into three series. The first series was performed at slow scanning speeds (200-1000 mm/min) and low laser powers (200-500 W). Hardening was executed on flat workpieces with the laser scanning along a linear path. The second and third test series were performed at fast scanning speeds (2000-8000 mm/min) and higher laser powers (1000-2000 W) with hardening done on rotating cylindrical workpieces. The third tests series consisted of two laser passes in an attempt to increase the penetration depth of the hardened layer. These tests resulted in severe distortion due to melting that would require nearly the entire hardened layer to be machined away post heat treatment. However, if the melting temperature is not significantly exceeded multiple laser passes could be used to increase the thickness of the hardened layer.</p> <p> Higher case depths were realized for the slow tests since these tests have a greater laser-work interaction time. During laser treatment, the uncoated workpieces were left exposed to allow for oxidation and melting in order to increase the fraction of absorbed laser power. The absorptivity is shown to be as high as 85% for these tests.</p> <p> Results are presented in a form useful in selection of laser power and scanning speed to obtain the desired level of hardening, without having to resort to complex analytical or numerical models. Investigations into in-process monitoring show that measurement of surface temperature using an infrared thermometer could be used to control the generated hardened layer reducing process scrap.</p> / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

Heat transfer technologies based on boiling refer to applications like heat pumps, waste heat recovery systems, power plants and electronic components cooling. The widespread use of boiling as the heat transfer mode is due to high heat transfer coefficients associated with the phase change from liquid to vapor. Boiling heat transfer coefficients can be further enhanced by modifying the texture or chemical composition of the interface at which boiling occurs. The objective of this research is to fabricate textured surfaces with electrical discharge machining (EDM) and investigate the enhancement in pool boiling heat transfer, concerning machining and surface characterization parameters. It is complemented by a qualitative analysis of bubble dynamics with high-speed imaging, to provide insights into the differences in boiling performance associated with the changes in surface topography. Sink electrical discharge machined surfaces demonstrated ten times higher heat transfer coefficient compared to a polished surface during these studies. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

The research for this dissertation is focused on the selection of machining parameters for a job shop using expert systems and algorithms. The machining processes are analyzed in detail and rule based expert systems are developed for the analysis of process plans based on operation and work-material compatibility, the selection of machines, cutting tools, cutting fluids, and tool angles. Data base design is examined for this problem. Algorithms are developed to evaluate the selection of machines and cutting tools based on cost considerations. An algorithm for optimizing cutting conditions in turning operations has been developed. Data framework and evaluation procedures are developed for other machining operations involving different types of machines and tools. / Ph. D.

No / The formation of tribo-layers during machining is very common phenomena, especially when machining `free machining¿ steels. Several kinds of tribo-layers formed in metal cutting processes have been reported, layers of inclusions from the workpiece, oxide layers due to chemical reaction, plastic deformation layers, material transfer layers (MTLs) or built-up layers (BULs). A new tool¿chip contact model is proposed to explain the tribo-layer phenomena, which considers the nature of the shear strain rate distribution in the secondary deformation zone. A shear strain rate distribution in this zone having a shape similar to that found in the preliminary zone is proposed. A cutting interface (CI) is defined and this interface is at different location to the material boundary of tool and chip (MBTC). This difference is a key factor in the formation of the tribo-layer in the secondary deformation zone. This model can be used in improving tool wear prediction and the estimation of tool life.

No / Nickel alloys including Inconel 718 are considered as challenging materials for machining. Laser beam machining could be a promising choice to deal with such materials for simple to complex machining features. The machining accuracy is mainly dependent on the rate of material removal per laser scan. Because of the involvement of many laser parameters and complexity of the machining mechanism it is not always simple to achieve machining with desired accuracy. Actual machining depth extremely varies from very low to aggressively high values with reference to the designed depth. Thus, a research is needed to be carried out to control the process parameters to get actual material removal rate (MRRact) equals to the theoretical material removal rate (MRRth) with minimum surface roughness (SR) of the machined surfaces. In this study, five important laser parameters have been used to investigate their effects on MRR and SR. Statistical analysis are performed to identify the significant parameters with their strength of effects. Mathematical models have been developed and validated to predict the machining responses. Optimal set of laser parameters have also been proposed and confirmed to achieve the actual MRR close to the designed MRR (MRR% = 100.1%) with minimum surface roughness (Ra = 2.67 µm). / The authors extend their appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Saud University for funding this work through research group number RG-1440-026.

Yes / High-throughput manufacturing of transdermal microneedle arrays poses a significant challenge due to the high precision and number of features that need to be produced and the requirement of multi-step processing methods for achieving challenging micro-features. To address this challenge, we report a flexible and cost-effective process chain for transdermal microneedle array manufacture that includes mould production using laser machining and replication of thermoplastic microneedles via micro-injection moulding (micromoulding). The process chain also incorporates an in-line manufacturing data monitoring capability where the variability in the quality of microneedle arrays can be determined in a production run using captured data. Optical imaging and machine vision technologies are also implemented to create a quality inspection system that allows rapid evaluation of key quality indicators. The work presents the capability of laser machining as a cost-effective method for making microneedle moulds and micro-injection moulding of thermoplastic microneedle arrays as a highly-suitable manufacturing technique for large-scale production with low marginal cost. / This research work was undertaken in the context of MICRO-MAN project (“Process Fingerprint for Zero-defect Net-shapeMICROMANufacturing”, http://www.microman.mek.dtu.dk/).MICROMAN is a European Training Network supported byHorizon 2020, the EU Framework Programme for Research andInnovation (Project ID: 674801). This research has also receivedfunding and support from two other Horizon 2020 projects:HIMALAIA (Grant agreement No. 766871) and Laser4Fun (GA no.675063).

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi à obtenção de aço rápido tipo AISI M2 pela técnica da conformação por “spray" e a avaliação deste, quanto ao seu desempenho quando aplicado como ferramenta de usinagem. O material obtido foi laminado a quente com razões de redução de 50 e 72%, resultando em placas a partir das quais foram confeccionadas pastilhas intercambiáveis para realização de testes de usinagem. O desempenho das pastilhas obtidas a partir do material conformado por “spray" e laminado a quente, foi confrontado com o de pastilhas confeccionadas a partir de material processado convencionalmente (lingotamento convencional), e com material processado pela técnica da metalurgia do pó (MP). As variações do material obtido por conformação por “spray", assim como também os demais materiais, foram caracterizados química, física, mecânica e microestruturalmente. Adicionalmente, foram realizados testes de usinagem para avaliação de desempenho do material quando submetido a condições reais de trabalho. Os resultados da caracterização dos materiais evidenciaram o potencial da técnica de conformação por “spray", em possibilitar a obtenção de materiais com boas características e propriedades. Para as condições de processamento, conformação mecânica e de tratamentos térmicos aplicados neste trabalho, às análises dos resultados dos testes de usinagem revelaram um comportamento muito próximo entre todos os materiais de ferramenta utilizados. Procedendo a uma análise mais refinada dos resultados dos testes de usinagem contínua, foi verificado um desempenho ligeiramente superior para o material obtido pela técnica da metalurgia do pó (MP), seguido pelo material obtido pela técnica da metalurgia convencional, o qual apresentou uma vantagem mínima em relação ao obtido pela técnica da conformação por “spray" e laminado com redução de 72%. Por fim, o desempenho inferior ficou por conta do material obtido pela técnica da conformação por “spray" e laminado com redução de 50%, o qual apresentou os maiores valores de desgaste. / The aim of the present work was the obtention of AISI M2 high-speed steel by spray forming technique and the material evaluation when used as machining tool. The obtained material was hot rolled at 50% and 72% reduction ratios, and from which it was manufactured inserts for machining tests. The performance of inserts made of the spray formed material was compared to inserts obtained from conventional and powder metallurgy (MP) processed materials. The spray formed material was chemical, physical, mechanical and microstructural characterised. For further characterisation, the materials were submitted to machining tests for performance evaluation under real work condition. The results of material characterisation highlight the potential of the spray forming technique, in the obtention of materials with good characteristics and properties. Under the current processing, hot rolling and heat treatments condition, the analysis of the results of the machining tests revealed a very similar behaviour among the tested materials. Proceeding a criterious analysis of the machining results tests, it was verified that the performance presented by the powder metallurgy material (MP) was slight superior, followed by conventional obtained material (MConv), which presented a insignificant advantage over the spray formed and hot rolled (72% reduction ratio) material. The worst result was encountered for the spray forming and hot rolled (50% reduction ratio) material that presented the highest wear values.