Advances in Machining of Difficult-to-Cut Engineering Materials

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2025.

Guest Editor (1)

Salman  Pervaiz
Prof. Dr. Salman Pervaiz 
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology-Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Interests: Additive Manufacturing; Sustainable Manufacturing; Machining and Metal Cutting

Topic Collection Information

The machining of advanced engineering materials continues to be a growing concern. These high performance materials, which include titanium- and nickel-based alloys, tool steels, stainless steels, hardened steels, composites, shape memory alloys, cobalt chromium alloys, and magnesium-based alloys, are employed for their unique metallurgical properties, sustaining high operating temperature, and resistance to corrosion and fatigue etc. They are extensively used in demanding applications within aerospace, biomedical, automotive, petrochemical, marine, nuclear, and sports-related sectors. Despite their advantageous properties, these materials pose significant challenges in material removal processing, displaying poor machinability and high processing costs. 

This Special Issue aims to publish original research and review articles on the machinability investigations of difficult-to-cut engineering materials, particularly those used in aerospace, biomedical, automotive, and nuclear sectors.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

Machinability investigations based on cutting process physics
Surface integrity of machined surfaces
Cutting process modeling and optimization, including finite element (FE)-assisted models
Mechanics, applications, and challenges of micromachining
Advanced cooling/lubrication strategies such as minimum-quantity lubrication (MQL) and cryogenic cooling
Tribology of the cutting process
Sustainability analysis of machining processes
Non-traditional machining processes: laser, EDM, ECM, USM, water jet cutting
Precision machining, micro/nanomachining
Assisted machining processes such as vibration-assisted machining (VAM) and ultrasonic-assisted machining (UAM)
Application of artificial intelligence (AI) in machining
Performance of novel cutting tool materials and geometries

Published Papers (1 papers)

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.

Can Liu
Yong Zhang
Lida Zhu*
Qiang Li
Xin Shu
Shaoqing Qin
Dazhong  Wang
Wentian  Shi
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