Piezoelectric transducer based devices for development of a sustainable machining system - A review

Sustainability in production is to develop a system that reduces usage of resources for converting raw material into useful product; Moreover, it could produce waste that can be directly used by another production system. Intentionally inducing vibration to make machining system sustainable started from the work of Kumabe. Based on the direction of modulation with respect to workpiece motion three distinct effective conditions develop, Vibration Assisted Machining (VAM) by inducing low amplitude and high frequency vibration in cutting velocity direction, Modulation Assisted Machining (MAM) by inducing high amplitude and low frequency vibration in tool feed direction and Elliptical Vibration Assisted Machining (EVAM) by inducing low amplitude and high frequency vibration both in tool feed and cutting velocity direction. For superimposing vibration to tool motion in VAM, EVAM and MAM systems, the piezoelectric transducer device based tool holder attachments have been used. Imposing of oscillation by piezoelectric actuators in machining reduces the machining forces and burr suppression, which decreases energy consumption and hence makes system energy efficient. MAM can produce chips of required shape and size distribution which can be used by another production system without any pre-processing. Vibration in machining also helps to increase the tool life and reduce overall cost of production; it also helps in improving tool chip contact conditions so as to improve surface finish. This paper presents a review of these technologies with the help of a survey of the studies conducted in this direction.