Issue 1, Volume 2 – 5 articles

Article

26 November 2024

Identification of Cutting Workpiece Surface Defects Based on an Improved Single Shot Multibox Detector

In the mechanical cutting process, the surface defects of the workpiece are an important indicator of cutting quality and also reflect the condition of both the machine tool and the cutting tool. Effective detection of defects on the surface of the workpiece plays an important role in adjusting the processing conditions promptly, reducing losses, improving the utilization rate of the workpiece, and maintaining the normal operation of the equipment. To address the challenge of detecting surface defects on workpieces, an inspection method based on an improved Single Shot Multibox Detector (SSD) model is proposed. The method simplifies the detection model and reduces the computation by proposing a DH-MobileNet network instead of a VGG16 network in the SSD structure. The inverse residual structure is also used for position prediction, and null convolution is used instead of a down-sampling operation to avoid information loss. A scanning electron microscope was used to obtain the surface image of the workpiece. A dataset of workpiece surface defects was constructed and expanded, then used to train and test the model for detecting three common types of high-frequency defects: peel-off, chip adhesion, and scratches. The effect was compared with YOLO, Faster R-CNN, and the original SSD model. The detection results show that the method can detect the defects on the surface of the workpiece more accurately and quickly, which provides a new idea for defect detection in real industrial scenarios.

Review

08 January 2025

A Review of Ultrasonic Vibration-Assisted Grinding for Advanced Materials

Ultrasonic vibration-assisted grinding (UVAG), which superimposes high-frequency, micro-amplitude ultrasonic vibration onto conventional grinding (CG), offers several advantages, including a high material removal rate, low grinding force, low surface roughness, and minimal damage. It also addresses issues such as abrasive tool clogging, thereby enhancing machining efficiency, reducing tool wear, and improving the surface quality of the workpiece. In recent years, the rapid development of advanced materials and improvements in UVAG systems have accelerated the progress of UVAG technology. However, UVAG still faces several challenges in practical applications. For example, the design and optimization of the ultrasonic vibration system to achieve high-precision, large-amplitude, and high-efficiency grinding remain key issues. Additionally, further theoretical and experimental studies are needed to better understand the material removal mechanism, the dynamics of grinding force, abrasive tool wear, and their effects on surface quality. This paper outlines the advantages of UVAG in machining advanced materials, reviews recent progress in UVAG research, and analyzes the current state of ultrasonic vibration systems and ultrasonic grinding characteristics. Finally, it summarizes the limitations of current research and suggests directions for future studies. As an emerging machining technology, UVAG faces challenges in many areas. In-depth exploration of the theoretical and experimental aspects of high-precision, large-amplitude, and high-efficiency ultrasonic vibration systems and UVAG is essential for advancing the development of this technology.

Review

14 January 2025

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Sustainable Manufacturing: Current Trends and Future Prospects

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are transforming manufacturing processes, offering unprecedented opportunities to enhance sustainability and environmental stewardship. This comprehensive review analyzes the transformative impact of AI technologies on sustainable manufacturing, focusing on critical applications, including energy optimization, predictive maintenance, waste reduction, and circular economy implementation. Through systematic analysis of current research and industry practices, the study examines both the opportunities and challenges in deploying AI-driven solutions for sustainable manufacturing. The findings provide strategic insights for researchers, industry practitioners, and policymakers working towards intelligent and sustainable manufacturing systems while elucidating emerging trends and future directions in this rapidly evolving field.

Review

16 January 2025

Biological Bone and Replacement Materials in Grinding: Force Model and Processing Capability

Grinding is widely used in orthopedic surgery to remove bone tissue material, but due to the complex and brittle structure of bone, it is prone to mechanical stresses that cause cracks and damage to the bone tissue. Furthermore, bone replacement materials typically have high hardness, strength, and brittleness, which lead to increased tool wear and damage, such as cracks and deformation during grinding. Therefore, ensuring the surface quality of bone and replacement materials during the grinding process has become a critical issue. This necessitates the development of grinding force models that consider various processing parameters, such as feed rate and cutting depth, to guide industrial production. However, currently, research on the grinding force prediction models for bone tissue and its replacement materials is relatively scarce, and there is a lack of corresponding grinding force model reviews for unified guidance. Based on this, this article focuses on bone grinding technology and, conducts a critical comparative analysis of the grinding force models for bone tissue and its replacement materials, and then summarizes the grinding force prediction models in the grinding process of bone tissue and bone replacement materials. First, according to the material types and material removal mechanisms, the materials are categorized into bone tissue, bio-inert ceramics, and bio-alloys, and the material removal process during grinding is analyzed. Subsequently, the grinding force prediction models for each material and the accuracy errors of each model are summarized. The paper also reviews the application of these grinding force prediction models, explaining how processing parameters such as feed rate and cutting depth influence grinding forces and their interrelationship. Finally, in light of the current issues in the grinding of bone tissue and replacement materials, potential future research directions are proposed, aiming to provide theoretical guidance and technical support for improving the grinding quality of bone tissue and its replacement materials.

Article

21 January 2025

Machining Characteristics of Graphene Oxide-Based Nanosuspensions in Abrasive Machining of Single-Crystal Si and SiC

Single-crystal silicon (Si) and silicon carbide (SiC) are core semiconductor materials in communication, lighting, power generation, and transportation. However, their high hardness and wear resistance combined with low fracture toughness have posed significant challenges for high-efficiency and low-damage machining. Aqueous suspensions containing nanoparticle additives have recently been developed for sustainable manufacturing due to their satisfactory tribological performance and environmentally friendly nature. In this work, nanoadditives, including two-dimensional (2D) graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets and zero-dimensional (0D) diamond nanoparticles, were ultrasonically dispersed in water to formulate different GO-based nanosuspensions for achieving high-efficiency and low-damage abrasive machining. The experimental results indicated that GO nanosuspension was a suitable coolant for grinding Si, generating a ground surface of 32 nm in Ra, owing to its great lubricity and excellent resistance against mechanical abrasion. Diamond-GO hybrid nanosuspension demonstrated a synergistic effect in abrasion, lubrication and oxidation, which was thus appropriate for polishing SiC single crystals, leading to approximate 60% and 30% improvements in removal and roughness respectively, in comparison to a commercially available diamond suspension.

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