The document discusses advanced manufacturing processes and demonstrations that will take place at BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus. Some of the processes that will be demonstrated include electro discharge machining (EDM), electro chemical machining (ECM), computer numerical control (CNC) machining, 3D printing, and micro machining. Students will have the opportunity to work hands-on with these different advanced manufacturing techniques in the lab through experiments like using CNC wire cut EDM, 3D printing a part, and programming and operating a CNC lathe and milling machine.
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What is Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the processing of raw
materials or parts into finished goods through
the use of tools, human labor, machinery, and
chemical processing.
Efficient manufacturing techniques enable
manufacturers to take advantage of economies of
scale, producing more units at a lower cost.
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Advanced manufacturing process
Why you need advance manufacturing process
Limitation of conventional machining methods
High production rate while processing difficult machine materials
Low cost of production
Precision and ultra precision machining
High surface finish
Machining of complex parts
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Electro discharge machining (EDM)
Wire cut EDM
Electro chemical machining (ECM)
Compute numerical control (CNC)
3D Printing
Micro Machining
Advanced manufacturing process
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1. Study and Prepare a program by ELCAM software and cut the profile by using CNC Wire cut
EDM
2. Study and demonstration of Electro Chemical Machining (ECM).
3. To produce a part using 3D printing technique.
4. Prepare a CNC manual part program and create the product by using CNC Lathe m/c.
5. Generate the tool path (program) by using CREO Manufacturing tool and create the product by
using CNC Milling m/c.
6. Experimental Analysis of Micro-Milling of Hardened H13 Tool Steel
7. Modelling and Simulation of Micro Cutting.
8. Determine the Extreme Pressure (EP) wear preventive (WP) characteristics of lubricants by
using Four Ball Tester
9. Characterizing the dry sliding friction and wear behavior of materials using Pin On Disk
Tribometer.
Lab experiments
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1.Electro discharge machining (EDM)
OBJECTIVE:
Study and Prepare a program by ELCAM software and cut the profile by using
CNC Wire cut EDM.
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Principle
Metal is removed by producing powerful electric
spark discharge between the tool (cathode) and the
work material (anode)
Also known as Spark erosion machining or electro
erosion machining
Machining action forms a gap between the part and
electrode (tool) which causes a spark which removes
the material from work piece
Electrode is (-) negative and part is (+) possitive
Electrode can be made form brass, copper, graphite
Introduction to EDM
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EDM has the following advantages:
1. Cavities with thin walls and fine features can be produced.
2. Difficult geometry is possible.
3. The use of EDM is not affected by the hardness of the work material.
4. The process is burr-free.
Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM)
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The spark theory on a wire EDM is
basically same as that of the EDM
process.
Wire EDM is a process whereby a thin
wire is used as an electrode to cut
along a programmed path. The
workpiece is submerged in a dielectric
fluid (which increases the water's
resistivity) allowing for the generation
of an arc at the wire, which in turn
disintegrates the workpiece.
Wire Cut Electrical Discharge Machining
(WC-EDM)
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Dielectric Fluid
– Fluid medium which doesn’t conduct electricity
– Dielectric fluids generally used are paraffin, white
spirit, kerosene, mineral oil
– Must freely circulate between the work piece and
tool which are submerged in it
– Eroded particles must be flushed out easily
– Should be available @ reasonableprice
– Dielectric fluid must be filtered before reuse so that chip
contamination of fluid will not affect machining accuracy
Wire Cut Electrical Discharge Machining
(WC-EDM)
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Wire Cut Electrical Discharge Machining
(WC-EDM)
• Applications
– Best suited for production of gears, tools, dies, rotors, turbine blades and
cams
• Disadvantages
– Capital cost is high
– Cutting rate is slow
– Not suitable for large workpieces
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2.Electro chemical machining (ECM)
OBJECTIVE:
(E2) Study and demonstration of Electro Chemical Machining (ECM)
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• ECM is one of the recent and most useful machining process.
• In this process, electrolysis method is used to remove the metal from the
workpiece.
• It is best suited for the metals and alloys which are difficult to be machined
by mechanical machining process.
Introduction ECM
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The electrochemical machining system has
the following modules:
• Power supply
• Electrolyte filtration and delivery system
• Tool feed system
• Working tank
Construction of ECM
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• The tool and the workpiece are held close to each other
with a very small gap (of 0.05 to 0.5mm) between them
by using a servo motor.
• The electrolyte from the reservoir is pumped at high
pressure and flows through the gap between the workpiece
and the tool at a velocity (of 30 to 60m/s).
Working Principle
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• A D.C voltage about 5-30 volts is applied between the
tool and the work piece.
• Due to the applied voltage the current flows through
the electrolyte with +ve charged
ions and –ve charged ions.
• The +ve charged ions moves towards the tool
(cathode) while –ve ions moves towards
the workpiece (anode).
• The electro chemical reaction takes place due to the
flow of ions and it causes the removal
of metal from the workpiece.
Working Principle
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Electrolysis:
– D.C voltage of about 5-30V is applied between the tool and work piece.
– So the current in water flows through the electrolyte (solution of NaCl)
with charged ions.
–Many chemical reactions occurs at the cathode and the anode.
Working Principle
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ECM is well suited for the
machining of complex
two-dimensional shapes
Delicate parts maybe made
Difficult-to machine geometries
Poorlymachinable materials may be
processed
Little or no toolwear
Disadvantages
Initial tooling can be
timely andcostly
Environmentally
harmful by-products
Complicated tool design
Large power consumption
Advantages and disadvantages
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3. 3D Printing
OBJECTIVE:
To produce a part using 3D printing technique.
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What is 3 D printing/Additive Manufacturing ?
• The construction of a three-dimensional object from a CAD
model or a digital 3D model.
• It is method converting virtual 3D model into physical
model. Where 3D object is created by laydown successive
layers of materials
[2]
Types of 3D Printing method
Fused deposition method
Stereolithographic
Laminated Object Manufacturing.
Selective Laser Sintering (SLS).
Selective Laser Melting (SLM).
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1 Filament spools
2 Main filament
3 Support filament
4 Extrusion head
5 Printed part
6 Support structure
7 Build platform
A Typical FDM Machine
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Summary of a basic FDM process.
Step 1: Import of CAD data in .stl
(STereoLithography) format into
Slicing Software
Step 2: Slicing of the CAD model into
horizontal layers
Step 3: Generation of .gcode file.
Step 4: FDM fabrication process using
a filament modeling material to build
actual physical part in an additive
manner layer-by-layer
Step 1 Import of
CAD data in .stl
format
Import Slicing Software and set
printing parameter
Generation of
.gcode file.
Layer by layer
printing of
finial part
Outline of a FDM production
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Outline of a FDM production
Polymer Filament
Polymer extrudate
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Part Orientation Raster width Raster Angle
The orientation of the
part is defined as how the
part should be positioned
when produced
Raster width or road width which refers
to the width of the deposition path related
to tip size. It also refers to the tool path
width of the raster pattern used to fill
interior regions of the part curves .
Raster angle or orientation
which is measured from the X-
axis on the bottom part layer.
Also, it refers to the direction of
the beads of material (roads)
relative to the loading of the part.
The deposited roads can be built
at different angles to fill the
interior part.
Processing Parameters
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The layer thickness which is recognized
as the height of the deposited slice from
the FDM nozzle
The air gap parameter which is defined as the space
between the beads of deposited FDM material
Processing Parameters
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Processing Parameters
Rectangular - Standard infill pattern for FDM prints. Has
strength in all directions and is reasonably fast to print.
Requires the printer to do the least amount of bridging
across the infill pattern.
Triangular or diagonal - Used when strength is needed in
the direction of the walls. Triangles take a little longer to
print.
Wiggle - Allows the model to be soft, to twist, or to
compress. Can be a good choice particularly with a soft
rubbery material or softer nylon.
Honeycomb - Popular infill. It is quick to print and is very
strong, providing strength in all directions.
Infill geometry
For a standard print, infill is simply printed as an angled hatch or a
honeycomb shape. The four most common infill shapes are:
Infill percentage
FDM prints are typically printed with a
low-density infill. Most FDM slicer
programs will by default print parts with a
18%-20% infill which is perfectly adequate
for the majority of 3D printing applications.
This also allows for faster and more
affordable prints.
Infill percentage ranging from 20% (left), 50% (center) and 75% (right)
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Factors effecting the final properties
of the printed parts
Processing Parameters
• Layer thickness
• Raster angle and width
• Infill Percentage and pattern
• Number of contours
Machine Properties
• Nozzle Diameter and temperature
• Print bed and chamber temperature
• Printing speed
Material properties
• Type of polymer
• Melting point
• Viscosity at printing temperature
Final properties of the
printed parts printed parts
• Mechanical
• Thermal
• Electrical properties
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A B
Type Of Extrusion system used
A. Direct extrusion system
Direct extruders, as the name implies, are
directly attached to the hot end and are a
part of the print head.
B. Indirect Extruder or Bowden extrusion system
The difference between Direct and Bowden extruders is the
location of the extruder in relation to the hot end.
The opposite of Direct extruders, Bowden
extruders are not attached to the hot end or print
head. Instead, the extruder is removed from the
print head and is most often attached to the printer
body. The filament is then fed to the hot end using
a Bowden tube
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Benefits, Limitations & Application of 3D printing
Benefits Limitations
Geometric complexity at no extra cost Lower strength & anisotropic material properties
Very low start-up costs Less cost-competitive at higher volumes
Customization of each and every part Limited accuracy & tolerances
Low-cost prototyping with very quick turnaround Post-processing & support removal
Large range of (specialty) materials
Application
Biomedical
Aerospace, Automobile
Tooling
Electrical and Electronic
Energy Storage
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3D printing(FDM) offers great geometric flexibility and can produce custom parts
and prototypes quickly and at a low cost, but when large volumes, tight tolerances
or demanding material properties are required traditional manufacturing
technologies are often a better option.
To Summarize
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Printers in our workshop
Flashforge Inventor 2 Raise 3D N2Plus
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Printers in our workshop
Manufacturer RAISE3D
Layer Thickness (microns) 10 – 300
Printing Technology Fused Filament Fabrication
Volume Build Volume W x D x H (mm) 305 x 305 x 610
Resurrection System Resume Printing Function after power interruption
Advertised Manufacturer Speed (mm/s) 10-150 mm/s
Advertised Manufacturer Material
PLA / PLA+ / ABS / PC / PETG / R-flex / TPU / HIPS / Bronze-filled /
Wood-filled
Nozzle Temperature up to 300°C / 572°F
Heated Bed up to 110°C / 230°F
Connectivity WIFI, SD Card, USB, Ethernet
Enclose Machine Yes
Dual Extrusion Yes
Nozzle Diameter (mm) 0.4
Propriatery filament No
Filament Diameter (mm) 1.75
Printer Software IdeaMaker
Workstation Compatibility Windows, Mac OS
File Input Format STL / OBJ
Printer Volume W x D x H (mm) 616 x 590 x 960
Weight Volume (kg) 50
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4. CNC Lathe
OBJECTIVE:
Prepare a CNC manual part program and create the product by using
CNC Lathe m/c.
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Introduction CNC
Form of programmable automation.
Mechanical actions of machine tool are controlled by
program.
The program is in form of alphanumeric data.
After a job is finished the program of instructions can
be changed to process a new job.
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*The first NC machines were built in the 1940s and 1950s by Prof. John T
Parson.
*CNC machine came into existence after evolution of computer around 1980.
*Modern CNC Machine are improving further as the technology is changing
with a variety of functions according to applications.
History of CNC
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*The tool or material moves automatically.
*Tools can operate in 1-5 axes.
*Larger machines have a machine control unit (MCU) which
manages operations.
*Movement is controlled by motors (actuators).
*Feedback is provided by sensors (transducers)
*Tool magazines are used to change tools automatically.
Features of CNC machine
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Computerized Numerical Control (CNC)
• The machine tool system in which all the manufacturing operations are controlled by a set of instructions
given to it using a computer.
Part programming:
• The sequence of instructions given to a machine control unit to perform the required machining operation.
• Components of CNC system
Part programming
Machine control
unit
Machine tool
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• The part programming contains the list of coordinate values along the X, Y and Z directions of
the entire tool path to finish the component.
• The program contains the information such as feed, speed and depth of cut etc.
• Each of the necessary instructions for a particular operation given in the part program is known as
an NC word.
• A group of such NC words constitutes a complete NC instruction, known as NC block.
• A group of NC blocks together is known as NC part programming.
Part programming of CNC machine
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CNC Part programming
The Part program is written using various codes which can
be understood by the CNC machine tool.
Some of the common codes used in the part program are:
N: Block sequence number
G: Preparatory Function
M: Miscellaneous function
F:Feed function
S: Spindle speed function
T: Tool function
R: Radius of arc
X, Y, Z …. Represents the axes of the machine.
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• G-codes, also called preparatory codes, designated by letter G. Generally it instructs the machine tool what
type of action to perform, such as:
Rapid movement (transport the tool as quickly as possible in between cuts)
Controlled feed in a straight line or arc
Set tool information such as offset
Switch coordinate systems
• Example: Linear Interpolation
• Syntax: Code [axis word] [optional feed word]
G00 X0 Y0 (get into start Position
G01 X1.2 Y0.3 F3.0 ; Moves to (1.2, 0.3) at 3units/min
Preparatory functions (G- codes)
(0,0)
(1.2,0.3)
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• Miscellaneous function or "M-Codes," control the working components that activate and deactivate
coolant flow, spindle rotation, the direction of the spindle rotation and similar activities.
• Codes:
M 02 : Program End
M 03: Spindle rotation clockwise
M 04: Spindle rotation counter clockwise
M 05: Spindle stop
M 06: Tool change
M 08: Coolant on
M 09: coolant off, etc.
Miscellaneous functions (M-Codes)
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Basic terminology of machining
Speed
Feed
Depth of cut
Speed
Depth of cut
Work Piece
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*Controlled by G and M codes.
*These are number values and co-ordinates.
*Each number or code is assigned to a particular operation.
*Typed in manually to CAD by machine operators.
*G & M codes are automatically generated by the computer software.
How CNCworks
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1. Prepare the drawing of the job required as per the dimensions.
2. Write a part program for the job to be machined on the CNC turning machine.
3. Place the job in the chuck and set the tool according to the operation to be
performed on the machine.
4. Close the door of the CNC machine after the placement of the workpiece.
5. Start the machine and run the program.
6. Remove the job after completion of the work.
Procedure
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5. CNC Milling
OBJECTIVE:
Generate the tool path (program) by using CREO Manufacturing
tool and create the product by using CNC Milling m/c..
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Creo-Mfg user interface
• A 100 mm x 50 mm size block modelled in Creo software.
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Text written on the modelled block
• This software allows the user to design the anything as per their requirement.
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Selection of tool type and diameter
• Creo-Mfg. tool allows the user to select the type and size of the tool for machining operations.
• The selected tool is allowed to move over the design or text present on the block which automatically generates
the tool path.
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Generation of part program for tool path
• Finally the generated tool path at the
back end of the Creo-Mfg. software is
imported into the CIMCO software
and checked it before going for the
actual machining operation.
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OBJECTIVE:
Experimental Analysis of Micro-Milling of Hardened H13 Tool
Steel
6.Micro Milling
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Micromachining is the basic technology for fabrication of micro-
components of size in the range of 1 to 500 µm. Their need arises
from miniaturization of various devices in science and
engineering, calling for ultra-precision manufacturing and micro-
fabrication.
Definition: material removal at micro/ Nano level with no
constraint on the size of the component being machined
Removal of material in the form of chips having the size in the
range of microns.
Creating micro features or surface characteristics (especially
surface finish) in the micro/ Nano level.
Introduction
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Final finishing operations in manufacturing of precise parts are always of concern
owing to their most critical, labour intensive and least controllable nature.
In the aera of nanotechnology, deterministic high precision finishing methods are of
utmost importance and are the need of present manufacturing scenario.
The need for high precision in manufacturing was felt by manufacturers worldwide
to improve interchangeability of components, improve quality control and longer
wear/fatigue life.
Why Micro Machining
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Present day High-tech Industries, Design requirements are stringent.
Extraordinary Properties of Materials (High Strength, High heat Resistant, High
hardness, Corrosion resistant etc.)
Complex 3D Components (Turbine Blades)
Miniature Features (filters for food processing and textile industries having few tens
of microns as hole diameter and thousands in number)
Nano level surface finish on Complex geometries (thousands of turbulated cooling
holes in a turbine blade)
Making and finishing of micro fluidic channels (in electrically conducting & non
conducting materials, say glass, quartz, &ceramics)
Why Micro Machining
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400 μm tungsten carbide
end mill
Micro-heat exchanger [Filiz et al. (2007)]
Pocket Size: 2.5mm
Wall height: 500micron
Thickness: 100 micron
Source: www.nist.gov
Spiral channel for micro-fluidic
application
Micro Fluidic channels
(Filiz et al 2007)
64. Details of High Speed Micromilling Machine
BITS Pilani – Hyderabad campus
Fig. (a) HSMC, (b) Details of the Machining Centre
(a)
(b)
Parameter Description/Value
Make MicroMach
XYZ table Stepper motor controlled
Worktable
Granite frame with maximum 100 mm
x 100 mm travel length in X & Y
respectively
Maximum
Speed
80,000 rpm
Lubrication Mixture of air and oil
65. Code Generation
• Commercial softwares like CREO, CNC code generators, CNC
simulators etc. can be used to generate codes for required profile
• We can verify our manual codes using available online simulators
like https://nraynaud.github.io/webgcode/
Write your
code here
Simulation of
tool path and
generated
profile
BITS Pilani – Hyderabad campus
66. Lets take a look at Micro-tool……
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67. Some Machined Surface – Acrylic Plate
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Profile-1 Profile-2
Profile-3
• All these profiles were produced
using cutting tool of 1mm
diameter at 35,000 rpm with
6mm/min feed rate.
• Depth of cut was 800 microns
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OBJECTIVE:
Modelling and Simulation of Micro Cutting.
7.Modeling and simulation
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OBJECTIVE:
Characterizing the dry sliding friction and wear behavior of
materials using Four ball test.
8.Four ball test
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Four Ball Tester, also known as Shell four ball tester,
is used to characterize lubricants properties, such as
wear prevention (WP), extreme pressure (EP) and
frictional behavior (various testing standards are
listed below).
The tester consists of four balls in the configuration
of an equilateral tetrahedron, as shown in the figure
below. The upper ball rotates and is in contact against
the lower three balls, which are held in a fixed
position.
Four ball Test
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Four Ball Wear Test
Four ball test can also be used to measure the performance of the lubricant with respect to
wear. During the test the upper ball is rotated against the rest of the balls that are fixed.
The load is performed at fixed conditions (load, temperature, speed, etc.), unlike the
extreme pressure test.
After the test, the wear scar measurements are performed using for example optical
profilometry and can be used to judge the performance of a lubricant with respect to wear.
Friction force is also measured during this test and therefore, can also be analyzed.
72. Tribological characterisation
• Pin on Disc Tribometer (mainly for solids)
• Four Ball Tester (mainly for lubricalnts)
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OBJECTIVE:
Characterizing the dry sliding friction and wear behavior of
materials using Pin On Disk Tribometer.
9.Pin on Disc Test
74. Pin on Disc Tribometer
• The Pin on Disc Friction & Wear Test Rig is primarily intended for determining the tribological
characteristics of wide range of materials under various conditions.
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• Friction and wear behavior
can be evaluated over a wide
range of varying load and
speed.
• Useful to characterize the
tribological performance of
bulk materials, coatings and
lubricants accurately.
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Pin on disk tribometer
Schematically, the pin on disk test is depicted in the figure
above. The stationary pin is pressed against rotating disk
under the given load. The pin can be of any shape,
however, the most popular shapes are spherical (ball or
lens) or cylindrical due to ease of alignment of such pins
(flat pins are typically subject to certain misalignment which
can lead to non-uniform loading and difficulties for
theoretical analysis). During the test, the friction force, wear
and temperature are continuously monitored.
A typical friction curve measurement recorded on a pin on
disk apparatus is shown in the figure below:
Material parameters: Polymer type its chemical ,thermal and mechanical priorities
Build Orientation: It refers to the inclination of the part in a build platform with respect to X, Y, Z axis. X and Y-axis are considered parallel to build platform and Z-axis is along the direction of part build.
Raster angle: Direction of the raster relative to the X-axis of build table.
Layer thickness: It refers to the thickness of the deposited layer.
Nozzle diameter: It depends upon the type of nozzle used. Commercial printers mostly use 0.4 mm nozzle diameter.
Raster width: Width of raster pattern used to fill interior regions of the part.
Number of contours: The number of contours of the part outside
Raster to raster gap (air gap): It is the gap between two adjacent rasters in a same layer. Negative air gap refers to the overlap of rasters. Positive air gap allows space between rasters. Printing with zero air gap is highly recommended.
Infill density: The amount of material that is used to build the part inside. For example; the inner layers of the part can be printed in hexagonal or rectangular pattern.
Since Direct extruders are located above the hot end with little space between them, a Direct extruder keeps the distance that filament must travel from the extruder to the hot end to a minimum. This leads to the main advantages of this style of extrusion.
1.Better Extrusion and Retraction
Since there is less distance for the filament to travel, extruding and retracting the filament becomes much easier. Essentially, the filament is more responsive to the extruder. This means that there is less stringing and oozing that occurs because of worse retraction and leads to a higher quality print.
2. Smaller Motors
In addition, the closeness of the extruder to the hot end means that less torque is required from the stepper motor than in a Bowden extruder. Because of this, the stepping motor does not need to be as large or as powerful as in a Bowden setup. However, a large motor can provide more power with a Direct extruder, which can be beneficial.
3.Wider Range of Filaments
Direct extruders are also able to effectively print a wider range of filaments, most notably, Composite filiment. While flexible filaments can work with Bowden extruders, Direct extruders can print them more effectively. This is because a Direct extrusion system is more constrained.
Disadvantages
However, the location of the Direct extruder also leads to its main disadvantages. The weight of the extruder on the print head can lead to several problems. Since the print head is constantly moving, additional weight to move around could lead to backlash, banding, overshoot, or frame wobble. Additionally, the size of the extruder can be disadvantageous for some 3D printers, as it makes up a majority of the print head.
Advantages of Bowden extruders
Lighter, Faster, and More Accurate
Like the Direct extruder, many of the advantages and disadvantages come from the location of the extruder in relation to the print head. The largest advantage is the reduced weight of the print head. Since the extruder is removed from the print head, there is less weight on the print carriage. Also, because the print head is lighter, a printer using a Bowden extruder can print faster, more accurately, and more precisely. This can result in either higher quality prints or quicker prints, as the print head can move at higher speeds. Additionally, Bowden extruders are more compact and take up less space than Direct extruders.
Disadvantages
While Bowden extruders can increase print speed and reduce the print head weight, there are several disadvantages that make them less appealing than Direct extruders. For one, they cannot use as many filaments as effectively as Direct extruders. While they can print flexible filaments, these filaments tend to bind in the Bowden tubing. Additionally, Bowden extruders cannot use abrasive filaments because these filaments will wear away the inside of the Bowden tubing.
BENEFITS
Geometric complexity at no extra cost
3D printing allows easy fabrication of complex shapes, many of which cannot be produced by any other manufacturing method. The additive nature of the technology means that geometric complexity does not come at a higher price. Parts with complex or organic geometry optimized for performance cost just as much to 3D print as simpler parts designed for traditional manufacturing (sometimes even cheaper since less material is used)
Very low start-up costs
In formative manufacturing (Injection Molding and Metal Casting) each part requires a unique mold. These custom tools come at a high price. To recoup these costs identical parts in the thousands are manufactured. Since 3D printing does not need any specialized tooling, there are essentially no start-up costs. The cost of a 3D printed part depends only on the amount of material used, the time it took the machine to print it and the post-processing - if any - required to achieve the desired finish
Customization of each and every part
With traditional manufacturing, it is simply cheaper to make and sell identical products to the consumer. 3D printing though allows for easy customization. Since start-up costs are so low, one only needs to change the digital 3D model to create a custom part. The result? Each and every item can be customized to meet a user’s specific needs without impacting the manufacturing costs.
LIMITATIONS
Low-cost prototyping with very quick turnarounds
One of the main uses of 3D printing today is prototyping - both for form and function. This is done at a fraction of the cost of other processes and at speeds, that no other manufacturing technology can compete with: Parts printed on a desktop 3D printer are usually ready overnight and orders placed to a professional service with large industrial machines are ready for delivery in 2-5 days. The speed of prototyping greatly accelerates the design cycle (design, test, improve, re-design)
Large range of (specialty) materials
The most common 3D printing materials used today are plastics. Metal 3D printing finds also an increasing number of industrial applications. The 3D printing pallet also includes specialty materials with properties tailored for specific applications. 3D printed parts today can have high heat resistance, high strength or stiffness and even be biocompatible. Composites are also common in 3D printing. The materials can be filled with metal, ceramic, wood or carbon particles, or reinforced with carbon fibers. This results in parts with unique properties suitable for specific applications.
Lower strength & anisotropic material properties
3D printed parts have physical properties that are not as good as the bulk material: since they are built layer-by-layer, they are weaker and more brittle in one direction by approximately 10% to 50%. Because of this, plastic 3D printed parts are most often used for non-critical functional applications.
Less cost-competitive at higher volumes
3D printing cannot compete with traditional manufacturing processes when it comes to large production runs. The lack of a custom tool or mold means that start-up costs are low, so prototypes and a small number of identical parts (up to ten) can be manufactured economically. It also means though that the unit price decreases only slightly at higher quantities, so economies of scale cannot kick in. In most cases, this turning point is at around 100 units, depending on the material, 3D printing process and part design. After that, other technologies, like CNC machining and Injection Molding, are more cost effective.
Limited accuracy & tolerances
The accuracy of 3D printed parts depends on the process and the calibration of the machine. Typically, parts printed on a desktop FDM 3D printer have the lowest accuracy and will print with tolerances of ± 0.5 mm. This means that if you design a hole with diameter of 10 mm, its true diameter after printing will something between 9.5 mm to 10.5 mm.
Post-processing & support removal
Printed parts are rarely ready to use off the printer. These usually require one or more post-processing steps. For example, support removal is needed in most 3D printing processes. 3D printers cannot add material on thin air, so supports are structures that are printed with the part to add material under an overhang or to anchor the printed part on the build platform. When removed and they often leave marks or blemishes on the surface of the part they came in contact with. These areas need additional operations (sanding, smoothing, painting) to achieve a high quallity surface finish.