A Comprehensive Review of Ultrasonic Machining

Owing to its vast applications in machining and manufacturing of brittle materials, ultrasonic machining has emerged as a promising nonconventional machining technique. A wide array of research and experimentation has been performed to augment their efficiency and utility. Several modifications to the conventional ultrasonic machining by incorporating other stimuli are also being researched. Pertaining to its ability for machining of brittle materials and various applications in medical, electronic and automation, this chapter provides more understanding of ultrasonic machining and its other modified forms, along with the effects of different stimuli such as abrasive slurry, tool geometry and feed rate. A comparison between conventional and nonconventional machining techniques for brittle materials has been made. A detailed discussion over the different effects of various stimuli on performance parameters is made. An articulated chronological study of ultrasonic machining is presented and discussed. At the end, a comprehensive conclusion on past work is provided, and the future scope of ultrasonic machining is proposed.