Ceramic Machining: Assessment of Current Practice and Research Needs in the United States
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
United States Department of Commerce Technology Administration National Institute of Standards and Technology NAT'L INST. OF STAND & TECH R,LC. NIST Special Publication 834 ~ NiST REFERENCE PUBLICATIONS Ceramic Macnimng: Assessment of Current Practice and Research Needs in the United States 7he National Institute of Standards and Technology was established in 1988 by Congress to "assist industry in the development of technology . needed to improve product quality, to modernize manufacturing processes, to ensure product reliability . and to facilitate rapid commercialization ... of products based on new scientific discoveries." NIST, originally founded as the National Bureau of Standards in 1901, works to strengthen U.S. industry's competitiveness; advance science and engineering; and improve public health, safety, and the environment. One of the agency's basic functions is to develop, maintain, and retain custody of the national standards of measurement, and provide the means and methods for comparing standards used in science, engineering, manufacturing, commerce, industry, and education with the standards adopted or recognized by the Federal Government. As an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department's Technology Administration, NIST conducts basic and applied research in the physical sciences and engineering and performs related services. The Institute does generic and precompetitive work on new and advanced technologies. NIST's research facilities are located at Gaithersburg, MD 20899, and at Boulder, CO 80303. Major technical operating units and their principal activities are listed below. For more information contact the Public Inquiries Desk, 301-975-3058. Technology Services Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory • Manufacturing Technology Centers Program • Precision Engineering • Standards Services • Automated Production Technology • Technology Commercialization • Robot Systems • Measurement Services • Factory Automation • Technology Evaluation and Assessment • Fabrication Technology • Information Services Materials Science and Engineering Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory Laboratory • Intelligent Processing of Materials • Microelectronics • Ceramics 1 • Law Enforcement Standards • Materials Reliability • Electricity • Polymers • Semiconductor Electronics • Metallurgy 1 • Electromagnetic Fields • Reactor Radiation 1 • Electromagnetic Technology Building and Fire Research Laboratory Chemical Science and Technology • Structures Laboratory • Building Materials • Biotechnology • Building Environment 1 • Chemical Engineering • Fire Science and Engineering • Chemical Kinetics and Thermodynamics • Fire Measurement and Research • Inorganic Analytical Research • Organic Analytical Research Computer Systems Laboratory • Process Measurements • Information Systems Engineering • Surface and Microanalysis Science • Systems and Software Technology 2 • Thermophysics • Computer Security • Systems and Network Architecture Physics Laboratory • Advanced Systems • Electron and Optical Physics • Atomic Physics Computing and Applied Mathematics • Molecular Physics Laboratory 2 • Radiometric Physics • Applied and Computational Mathematics 2 • Quantum Metrology • Statistical Engineering 2 • Ionizing Radiation • Scientific Computing Environments 1 2 • Time and Frequency • Computer Services 1 2 • Quantum Physics • Computer Systems and Communications • Information Systems 'At Boulder, CO 80303. 2 Some elements at Boulder, CO 80303. NIST Special Publication 834 Ceramic Machining: Assessment of Current Practice and Research Needs in the United States S. Jahanmir L. K. Ives A. W. Ruff M. B. Peterson Ceramics Division Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory National Institute of Standards and Technology Gaithersburg, MD 20899 Issued June 1992 U.S. Department of Commerce Barbara Hackman Franklin, Secretary Technology Administration Robert M. White, Under Secretary for Technology National Institute of Standards and Technology John W. Lyons, Director National Institute of Standards U.S. Government Printing Office For sale by the Superintendent and Technology Washington: 1992 of Documents Special Publication 834 U.S. Government Printing Office Natl. Inst. Stand. Technol. Washington, DC 20402 Spec. Publ. 834 106 pages (June 1992) CODEN: NSPUE2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Advanced structural ceramics, such as silicon nitride, are attractive for many advanced applications due to their high strength at elevated temperatures, resistance to chemical degradation, wear resistance, and low density. Despite these advantages, there are considerable impediments to the introduction of advanced ceramics. With current technology, fabrication costs are high, compared to other materials, and component reliability is uncertain. The cost of machining can be as high as 90 percent of the total cost of some high precision components; and damage produced during machining can be detrimental to the performance and can produce premature failure. A study was conducted to assess the current state-of-the-art in the machining of advanced ceramics and to identify research areas which could lead to significant improvements. In conducting the assessment, an extensive literature search was carried out, visits and discussions were held with industrial companies interested in ceramic machining, a telephone survey was conducted on ceramic machining shops, a research-in-progress database was consulted, individuals were invited to visit NIST and discuss different aspects of ceramic machining, and a workshop was held at NIST in September 1990, to identify specific industrial needs in ceramic machining. The results of the assessment with regards to the needs in the machining and production of parts made from advanced ceramics is summarized as follows: Reduction in Cost : The cost associated with machining is a major ontributor to the overall high cost of advanced ceramic components. Although^significant costs are also associated with raw materials, processing, and quality control, the primary impediment to the introduction of most advanced ceramic parts into the market place is the high cost of machining. Therefore, research efforts should be focused on developing methods and procedures for cost-effective machining of ceramic components. Optimization Data : With the exception of a few publications, there is little machining data available for advanced ceramics. There is a critical need for data to be used for the purpose of cost estimating, component design optimization, and selection of machining parameters. In the absence of such information, the operator takes the most conservative route, i.e., slow removal rates and a concomitant increase in the cost of machining. Rapid Machining Methods : Advanced ceramic materials are difficult to machine with most conventional methods, with the exception of abrasive machining utilizing diamond. Abrasive machining of advanced ceramics, however, is slow compared to metals. Innovative techniques are needed to increase the rate of material removal. But it is extremely important to recognize that an increase in machining rate may lead to an unacceptable level of surface and subsurface damage in the finished part. Therefore, the development of rapid machining methods must be accompanied by damage assessment and control. Damage Assessment : Performance and reliability of ceramic components are strongly influenced by damage introduced during machining. Surface finish and machining damage are especially sensitive to small changes in machining conditions. There is a need for reliable and fast in situ and post-machining damage assessment techniques. Development of sensors for real-time iii measurement of surface finish and damage assessment has the potential to increase manufacturing productivity significantly. Automation : Present ceramic machining practice is oriented towards labor-intensive small-scale production and heavy reliance on operator skill. If advanced ceramics are to be extensively used, automated production techniques are needed to make millions of components. This requires additional research to develop new machine tools, special part-handling techniques, and on-line inspection to control machining damage, surface finish and part dimensions. In order to take advantage of the unique properties of advanced ceramics and facilitate their introduction into the market place, a coordinated research program is needed. The overall objectives of this program should be to develop an advanced technology for machining of advanced ceramics. Based on our discussions with industry and the analysis of published literature, we recommend a broad research program, consisting of the following areas: • Optimization of the Grinding Process • Chemically Assisted Machining • Grinding Wheels for Machining of Ceramics • Direct Damage Assessment Techniques • NDE Techniques for Machining Damage Evaluation • Sensors for Real-Time Surface Finish and Damage Assessment • Standard Reference Materials • Post-Machining Treatments for Damage Control • Innovative High-Strength Machinable Ceramics • Automated Systems for Large-Volume Production The ultimate goal of this program is to further the utilization of advanced structural ceramics in industrial applications by increasing the cost-effectiveness of ceramic components. It is recommended that these projects be carried out jointly by government laboratories and industry to facilitate technology transfer, and that all research activities funded by the government be coordinated to minimize the possibility of duplication