Ultrasonic Composite researchers at Loughborough University in Leicestershire have developed a device that they claim could revolutionise the way composites are cut, drilled and ground. The device involves ultrasonic assisted machining technology (UAM), which uses a specially designed piezoelectric converter to work in conjunction with a conventional lathe, drill or milling machine.

The machine can create ultrasonic vibrations of 20 to 39 KHZ anywhere, and its processing technology can fully soften the composite material in the work area, greatly reducing the dependence on cutting tools, resulting in less damage, less waste, and better polishing.

The brainchild of Professor Vladimir Babitsky of Loughborough University, UAM has been widely developed in recent years with the support of Dr Anish Roy and Professor Vadim Silberschmidt.

Over the past decade, several doctoral projects have been successful, including the recent challenging task of Vaibhav Phadnis and Farrukh Makhdum on drilling carbon fiber/epoxy composites. Phadnis, who works in the composites industry, believes that when the device can also be used to drill holes in other materials, such as nickel alloys, it will greatly improve the efficiency of manufacturers.

"UK manufacturing production and new orders continued to rise," Roy said. That means we should look for better, more cost-effective, and more sustainable ways of processing. Ultrasonic assisted machining technology is a good answer. The technique has been successful in the lab and can even cut ultrasound-composite hard-to-handle aerospace alloys. It makes processing so easy, it's like cutting butter." "Ultrasonic assisted drilling technology has significantly improved the drilling process for carbon fiber/epoxy composites and significantly reduced the damage to the composites," he added.

The challenge, Roy says, is to minimize the possibility of material damage from drilling, and how to make it possible, or even eliminate it altogether.

The technology is already being used in biomedical applications, such as drilling into bone during orthopedic surgery. At the same time, the preliminary ultrasonic composite study shows that the technology can be used to punch micro holes in the brush-response circuit board, which shows the potential of application in the field of high-precision parts.

Vaibhav, which has partnered with Airbus, says the ease of assembly, use and cost advantage the technology brings will make it the perfect choice for future manufacturing processes.