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Design and implementation of a system for laser assisted milling of advanced materials

  • Advanced Manufacturing and Machining Technology
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Abstract

Laser assisted machining is an effective method to machine advanced materials with the added benefits of longer tool life and increased material removal rates. While extensive studies have investigated the machining properties for laser assisted milling(LAML), few attempts have been made to extend LAML to machining parts with complex geometric features. A methodology for continuous path machining for LAML is developed by integration of a rotary and movable table into an ordinary milling machine with a laser beam system. The machining strategy and processing path are investigated to determine alignment of the machining path with the laser spot. In order to keep the material removal temperatures above the softening temperature of silicon nitride, the transformation is coordinated and the temperature interpolated, establishing a transient thermal model. The temperatures of the laser center and cutting zone are also carefully controlled to achieve optimal machining results and avoid thermal damage. These experiments indicate that the system results in no surface damage as well as good surface roughness, validating the application of this machining strategy and thermal model in the development of a new LAML system for continuous path processing of silicon nitride. The proposed approach can be easily applied in LAML system to achieve continuous processing and improve efficiency in laser assisted machining.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Harbin University of Science and Technology, Harbin, 150080, China

    Xuefeng Wu, Gaocheng Feng & Xianli Liu

Authors
  1. Xuefeng Wu
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  2. Gaocheng Feng
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  3. Xianli Liu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xuefeng Wu.

Additional information

Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No. 51205097), and China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Grant No. 2013M541401)

WU Xuefeng, born in 1982, is currently an associate professor at Harbin University of Science and Technology, China. He received his PhD degree from Harbin Institute of Technology, China, in 2011. His research interests include laser assisted machining, cutting technology, cutting database and cloud manufacturing.

FENG Gaocheng, born in 1991, is currently a master candidate at Harbin University of Science and Technology, China. His research interests include metal cutting technology.

LIU Xianli, born in 1961, is currently a professor at Harbin University of Science and Technology, China. He received his PhD degree from Harbin Institute of Technology, China, in 1999. His research interests include metal cutting theory, cutting tool technology and digital processing technology.

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Wu, X., Feng, G. & Liu, X. Design and implementation of a system for laser assisted milling of advanced materials. Chin. J. Mech. Eng. 29, 921–929 (2016). https://doi.org/10.3901/CJME.2016.0303.024

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.3901/CJME.2016.0303.024

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