An investigation of laser-assisted machining of Al2O3 ceramics planing

Laser-assisted machining (LAM), an alternative method of fabricating difficult-to-machine materials, uses primarily laser power to heat the local area (without necessarily evaporating or melting any material) before the material is removed. It not only efficiently reduces the cutting force during the manufacturing process but also improves the machining characteristics and geography with regard to difficult-to-machine materials, especially structural ceramics.This study on the application of laser-assisted machining to Al₂O₃ ceramics examines the measurements of cutting force and workpiece surface temperature as well as surface integrity and tool wear. Specifically, it uses the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) to calculate the temperature distribution inside the ceramic workpiece during the LAM process and ensure that the laser energy causes no subsurface damage. The experimental results reveal that the LAM process efficiently reduces the cutting force by 22% (feed force) and 20% (thrust force) and produces better workpiece surface quality than conventional planing.