Quartz Micro-machining Using Wire Electrochemical Spark Machining Process

Abstract

In this modern age of miniaturization, many micro-slits are usually manufactured on quartz material and are used to improve performance. Quartz has the unique properties of wear resistance, high hardness, frequency stability, brittleness, biocompatibility, low coefficient of thermal expansion, and piezoelectricity and finds extensive applications in miniaturized scale space, for example, micro-pumps, resonators, mirrors, bioclinical, microsensors, micro- optics, quartz crystal balance, fiber innovation, actuators, etc. In any case, practically all quartz used for micro-machining for these frameworks is performed by non-traditional machining processes, for example, ultrasonic machining, different laser machining processes, rotating ultrasonic drilling, and so on. These regular advancements have numerous impediments on manufacturing, holding, and bundling of a last framework. For excessive overall compliance and reliability of the part, these micro-slits want to be fabricated with minimal process-brought about damages. Still, the difficult and brittle quartz crystals are taken into consideration as hard to machine materials. This present work highlights on hybrid non-conventional wire electrochemical spark machining (WECSM) process and is used to fabricate the micro-slits on materials made up of quartz. Presently, the importance is on developing a horizontal configuration of the WECSM process with coated wire to fabricate the micro-slits. Experiments were performed as per Taguchi’s orthogonal array design (L9) and the parametric effects of voltage, electrolyte concentration, and wire speed on material removal rate and surface roughness have been reported. Additionally, the significance of each input process parameters was analyzed by analysis of variance (ANOVA).