A new approach for force measurement and workpiece clamping in micro-ultrasonic machining

Micro-ultrasonic machining (micro-USM) is a promising micromachining technique to meet the increasing demands of high accuracy in processing the micro-components of hard and brittle materials. Unlike the well-established conventional USM, micro-USM still lacks in its commercial viability. The major concerns in micro-USM process are the accuracy of the setup and dynamic behavior of the system associated with precise force monitoring and robust workpiece clamping. In this study, a new micro-USM system with regards to measurement and monitoring of static force as well as tooling and workpiece clamping is developed. A force measurement and control system is proposed which is well suited for machining conditions in micro-USM. Furthermore, a reliable and quick setup for the vacuum chuck is introduced, which is capable of consistently transmitting the ultrasonic vibration from horn to the workpiece. Measurement of acoustic characteristics as well as experimental investigations is carried out to validate the functionality of the proposed system.