The Research On Laser Assisted Cutting Of Alumina Ceramics

Engineering ceramics have many excellent properties, such as good heat-resistance, and excellent abrasion-resistance, fine corrosion-resistance, light weight and outstanding self-lubricating ability, so they are getting more and more applications in many fields of industry and human life. However, due to their high hardness and brittleness, they are difficult to be machined using traditional machining methods such as turning, milling, drilling and cutting. Laser-assisted machining (LAM) is one of the available effective methods to solve this problem, which combines optics, material science, heat transfer, physics, mechanics and mechanical machining together.Based on both numerical simulation and experimental investigation, this thesis has done much research work on LAM of alumina (Al₂O₃) ceramics. Firstly, a conduction model has been established and then the temperature distribution has been calculated by using finite difference method (FDM). Secondly, an experimental setup for Laser-heat-assisted machining of Al₂O₃ ceramics has been designed. Thirdly, the machining force in laser-assisted machining Al₂O₃ ceramics has been measured. Finally, the effects of machining parameters on machining quality have been obtained by contrasting the experimental results under different machining conditions. By comparing the observed results of the surface quality under different machining conditions, the mechanism of laser-assisted machining ceramics has been studied.As a new method for material machining, LAM has many advantages that traditional machining methods don't have. Through the detailed theoretical investigation and experimental data, important relations between the machining quality and the machining parameters used, such as the distance between the center of laser beam and the point of cutting tools, rotating speed of the workpiece, cutting depth, feed rate, laser power and laser beam diameter on the surface of the workpiece have been systematically studied. In addition, this thesis also gives some beneficial advice about the selection of cutting tools and machining parameters.In short, this thesis has provided a practical reference for the laser-assisted machining of ceramics.