Investigation into the effect of overlap factors and process parameters on surface roughness and machined depth during micro-turning process with Nd:YAG laser

Abstract

Abstract One of the emerging laser material processing technologies to process cylindrical shaped materials is the laser micro-turning process. This process is used to machine micro-turned groove or surface on the difficult-to-process materials for a specific length of turn along its axis. The present experimental study investigates the laser micro-turning operation of a cylindrical shaped aluminum oxide (Al2O3) ceramic to explore the effect of successive spot overlap and circumferential overlap on the surface roughness (Ra) criterion. Moreover, depth of machining has also been studied by varying various process parameters such as pulse frequency, workpiece rotating speed and laser beam average power. Various amounts of spot overlap have been accomplished by different combined settings of related parameters i.e. workpiece rotating speed and pulse frequency. In contrast, various circumferential overlap between successive rotational scan widths have been achieved by varying the rotational speed and also axial feed rate of the workpiece. Surface roughness (Ra) and machined depth have been measured as output response for machining at various parametric combinations. Analyses have been made through different plots of surface roughness (Ra) and machined depth to study the influence of these overlaps and different process parameters. The experimental results revealed that surface roughness decreases with the increase of both the overlap factors. It is observed from the results that with the increase in circumferential overlap, roughness of the machined surface decreases for each workpiece rotating speed setting. Further, wide spot crater is achieved at a higher value of average power. Minimum surface roughness is achieved as 5.25 µm at average power 10 W, pulse frequency 3000 Hz, workpiece rotating speed 400 rpm and Y feed rate 0.3 mm/s. The achieved machined depth is high at a low speed of rotation and pulse frequency settings. With the increase of average power of laser beam, the machined depth is found to increase linearly. The maximum micro-turning depth is achieved as 0.146 mm at parametric combination of average power of 10 W, pulse frequency of 3000 Hz, workpiece rotating speed of 400 rpm and Y feed rate of 0.3 mm/s.