Micro-assembly precise coaxial alignment methodology based on surface roughness and reflectiveness matching

2014 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong-long Tang ◽  
Zhi-jing Zhang ◽  
Xin Ye ◽  
Xiao-feng Zhang

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel method of coaxial optical precision alignment based on surface roughness and reflectiveness matching. Design/methodology/approach – The micro-assembly experiment system set-up was constructed according to the principle of the coaxial optical alignment. The coaxial optical alignment error is theoretically analyzed and calculated. When the prism orthogonal alignment mechanism produces the error of 0.001°, the theoretical deviation was less than 0.87 μm and the actual experimental micro-assembly platform assembly accuracy exceeded 3 μm. A peg-in-hole precise assembly of punching pin micro-assembly experiment was done in order to validate feasibility of this method. Findings – The results indicate that coaxial optical precision alignment could be used for the assembly of complex micro-heterogeneous system which is integrated by similar devices, such as 3D complex micro-structures, silicon micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) devices and non-silicon MEMS devices with flat structure. Originality/value – The paper provides certain methodological guidelines for MEMS for high precision automatic assembly of complex 3D micro-structures.

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 986-998
Author(s):  
Xingyuan Wang ◽  
Zhifeng Lou ◽  
Xiaodong Wang ◽  
Yue Wang ◽  
Xiupeng Hao ◽  
...  

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to design an automatic press-fit instrument to realize precision assembly and connection quality assessment of a small interference fitting parts, armature. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, an automatic press-fit instrument was developed for the technical problems of reliable clamping and positioning of the armature, automatic measurement and adjustment of the attitude and evaluation of the connection quality. To compensate for the installation error of the equipment, corresponding calibration method was proposed for each module of the instrument. Assembly strategies of axial displacement and perpendicularity were also proposed to ensure the assembly accuracy. A theoretical model was built to calculate the resistant force generated by the non-contact regions and then combined with the thick-walled cylinder theory to predict the press-fit curve. Findings The calibration method and assembly strategy proposed in this paper enable the press-fit instrument to achieve good alignment and assembly accuracy. A reasonable range of press-fit curve obtained from theoretical model can achieve the connection quality assessment. Practical implications This instrument has been used in an armature assembly project. The practical results show that this instrument can assemble the armature components with complex structures automatically, accurately, in high-efficiency and in high quality. Originality/value This paper provides a technical method to improve the assembly quality of small precision interference fitting parts and provides certain methodological guidelines for precision peg-in-hole assembly.


2014 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 237-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Ye ◽  
Jun Gao ◽  
Zhijing Zhang ◽  
Chao Shao ◽  
Guangyuan Shao

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a sub-pixel calibration method for a microassembly system with coaxial alignment function (MSCA) because traditional sub-pixel calibration approaches cannot be used in this system. Design/methodology/approach – The in-house microassembly system comprises a six degrees of freedom (6-DOF) large motion serial robot with microgrippers, a hexapod 6-DOF precision alignment worktable and a vision system whose optical axis of the microscope is parallel with the horizontal plane. A prism with special coating is fixed in front of the objective lens; thus, two parts’ Figures, namely the images of target and base part, can be acquired simultaneously. The relative discrepancy between the two parts can be calculated from image plane coordinate instead of calculating space transformation matrix. Therefore, the traditional calibration method cannot be applied in this microassembly system. An improved calibration method including the check corner detection solves the distortion coefficient conversely. This new way can detect the corner at sub-pixel accuracy. The experiment proves that the assembly accuracy of the coaxial microassembly system which has been calibrated by the new method can reach micrometer level. Findings – The calibration results indicate that solving the distortion conversely could improve the assembly accuracy of MSCA. Originality/value – The paper provides certain calibration methodological guidelines for devices with 2 dimensions or 2.5 dimensions, such as microelectromechanical systems devices, using MSCA.


2015 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 172-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mumin Sahin ◽  
Cenk Misirli ◽  
Dervis Özkan

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine mechanical and metallurgical properties of AlTiN- and TiN-coates high-speed steel (HSS) materials in detail. Design/methodology/approach – In this study, HSS steel parts have been processed through machining and have been coated with AlTiN and TiN on physical vapour deposition workbench at approximately 6,500°C for 4 hours. Tensile strength, fatigue strength, hardness tests for AlTiN- and TiN-coated HSS samples have been performed; moreover, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis and microstructure analysis have been made by scanning electron microscopy. The obtained results have been compared with uncoated HSS components. Findings – It was found that tensile strength of TiAlN- and TiN-coated HSS parts is higher than that of uncoated HSS parts. Highest tensile strength has been obtained from TiN-coated HSS parts. Number of cycles for failure of TiAlN- and TiN-coated HSS parts is higher than that for HSS parts. Particularly TiN-coated HSS parts have the most valuable fatigue results. However, surface roughness of fatigue samples may cause notch effect. For this reason, surface roughness of coated HSS parts is compared with that of uncoated ones. While the average surface roughness (Ra) of the uncoated samples was in the range of 0.40 μm, that of the AlTiN- and TiN-coated samples was in the range of 0.60 and 0.80 μm, respectively. Research limitations/implications – It would be interesting to search different coatings for cutting tools. It could be the good idea for future work to concentrate on wear properties of tool materials. Practical implications – The detailed mechanical and metallurgical results can be used to assess the AlTiN and TiN coating applications in HSS materials. Originality/value – This paper provides information on mechanical and metallurgical behaviour of AlTiN- and TiN-coated HSS materials and offers practical help for researchers and scientists working in the coating area.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kankan Ji ◽  
Xingquan Zhang ◽  
Shubao Yang ◽  
Liping Shi ◽  
Shiyi Wang ◽  
...  

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate surface integrity of quenched steel 1045 ground drily by the brazed cubic boron nitride (CBN) grinding wheel and the black SiC wheel, respectively. Surface integrity, including surface roughness, sub-surface hardness, residual stresses and surface morphology, was investigated in detail, and the surface quality of samples ground by two grinding wheels was compared. Design/methodology/approach In the present work, surface integrity of quenched steel 1045 machined by the CBN grinding wheel and the SiC wheel was investigated systematically. All the specimens were machined with a single pass in the down-cutting mode of dry condition. Surface morphology of the ground specimen was observed by using OLYMPUS BX51M optical microscopy. Surface roughness of seven points was measured by using a surface roughness tester at a cut-off length of 1.8 mm and the measurement traces were perpendicular to the grinding direction. Sub-surface micro-hardness was measured by using HVS-1000 digital micro-hardness tester after the cross-section surface was polished. The residual stress was tested by using X-350A X-ray stress analyzer. Findings When the cut depth is increased from 0.01 to 0.07 mm, the steel surface machined by the CBN wheel remains clear grinding mark, lower roughness, higher micro-hardness and higher magnitude of compressive stress and fine microstructure, while the surface machined by the SiC grinding wheel becomes worse with increasing of cut depth. The value of micro-hardness decreases, and the surface roughness increases, and the surface compressive stress turns into tensile stress. Some micro-cracks and voids occur when the sample is processed by the SiC grinding wheel with cut depth 0.07 mm. Originality/value In this paper, the specimens of quenched steel 1045 were machined by the CBN grinding wheel and the SiC wheel with various cutting depths. The processing quality resulted from the CBN grinding wheel is better than that resulted from the SiC grinding wheel.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shimin Dai ◽  
Hailong Liao ◽  
Haihong Zhu ◽  
Xiaoyan Zeng

Purpose For the laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) technology, the side surface quality is essentially important for industrial applicated parts, such as the inner flow parts. Contour is generally adopted at the parts’ outline to enhance the side surface quality. However, the side surface roughness (Ra) is still larger than 10 microns even with contour in previous studies. The purpose of this paper is to study the influence of contour process parameters, laser power and scanning velocity on the side surface quality of the AlSi10Mg sample. Design/methodology/approach Using L-PBF technology to manufacture AlSi10Mg samples under different contour process parameters, use a laser confocal microscope to capture the surface information of the samples, and obtain the surface roughness Ra and the maximum surface height Rz of each sample after analysis and processing. Findings The results show that the side surface roughness decreases with the increase of the laser power at the fixed scanning velocity of 1,000 mm/s, the side surface roughness Ra stays within the error range as the contour velocity increases. It is found that the Ra increases with the scanning velocity increasing and the greater the laser power with the greater Ra increases when the laser power of contour process parameters is 300 W, 350 W and 400 W. The Rz maintain growth with the contour scanning velocity increasing at constant laser power. The continuous uniform contour covers the pores in the molten pool of the sample edge and thus increase the density of the sample. Two mechanisms named “Active adhesion” and “Passive adhesion” cause sticky powder. Originality/value Formation of a uniform and even contour track is key to obtain the good side surface quality. The side surface quality is determined by the uniformity and stability of the contour track when the layer thickness is fixed. These research results can provide helpful guidance to improve the surface quality of L-PBF manufactured parts.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Recep Demirsöz ◽  
Mehmet Erdl Korkmaz ◽  
Munish Kumar Gupta ◽  
Alberto Garcia Collado ◽  
Grzegorz M. Krolczyk

Purpose The main purpose of this work is to explore the erosion wear characteristics of additively manufactured aluminium alloy. Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as three-dimensional (3D) manufacturing, is the process of manufacturing a part designed in a computer environment using different types of materials such as plastic, ceramic, metal or composite. Similar to other materials, aluminum alloys are also exposed to various wear types during operation. Production efficiency needs to be aware of its reactions to wearing mechanisms. Design/methodology/approach In this study, quartz sands (SiO2) assisted with oxide ceramics were used in the slurry erosion test setup and its abrasiveness on the AlSi10Mg aluminum alloy material produced by the 3D printer as selective laser melting (SLM) technology was investigated. Quartz was sieved with an average particle size of 302.5 µm, and a slurry environment containing 5, 10 and 15% quartz by weight was prepared. The experiments were carried out at the velocity of 1.88 (250 rpm), 3.76 (500 rpm) and 5.64 m/s (750 rpm) and the impact angles 15, 45 and 75°. Findings With these experimental studies, it has been determined that the abrasiveness of quartz sand prepared in certain particle sizes is directly related to the particle concentration and particle speed, and that the wear increases with the increase of the concentration and rotational speed. Also, the variation of weight loss and surface roughness of the alloy was investigated after different wear conditions. Surface roughness values at 750 rpm speed, 10% concentration and 75° impingement angle are 0.32 and 0.38 µm for 0 and 90° samples, respectively, with a difference of approximately 18%. Moreover, concerning a sample produced at 0°, the weight loss at 250 rpm at 10% concentration and 45° particle impact angle is 32.8 mg, while the weight loss at 500 rpm 44.4 mg, and weight loss at 750 rpm is 104 mg. Besides, the morphological structures of eroded surfaces were examined using the scanning electron microscope to understand the wear mechanisms. Originality/value The researchers verified that this specific coating condition increases the slurry wear resistance of the mentioned steel. There are many studies about slurry wear tests; however, there is no study in the literature about the quartz sand (SiO2) assisted slurry-erosive wear of AlSi10Mg alloy produced with AM by using SLM technology. This study is needed to fill this gap in the literature and to examine the erosive wear capability of this current material in different environments. The novelty of the study is the use of SiO2 quartz sands assisted by oxide ceramics in different concentrations for the slurry erosion test setup and the investigations on erosive wear resistance of AlSi10Mg alloy manufactured by AM.


2010 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 163-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
W Merlijn van Spengen ◽  
Viviane Turq ◽  
Joost W M Frenken

We have replaced the periodic Prandtl–Tomlinson model with an atomic-scale friction model with a random roughness term describing the surface roughness of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) devices with sliding surfaces. This new model is shown to exhibit the same features as previously reported experimental MEMS friction loop data. The correlation function of the surface roughness is shown to play a critical role in the modelling. It is experimentally obtained by probing the sidewall surfaces of a MEMS device flipped upright in on-chip hinges with an AFM (atomic force microscope). The addition of a modulation term to the model allows us to also simulate the effect of vibration-induced friction reduction (normal-force modulation), as a function of both vibration amplitude and frequency. The results obtained agree very well with measurement data reported previously.


2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 473-483
Author(s):  
Muhammad Omar Shaikh ◽  
Ching-Chia Chen ◽  
Hua-Cheng Chiang ◽  
Ji-Rong Chen ◽  
Yi-Chin Chou ◽  
...  

Purpose Using wire as feedstock has several advantages for additive manufacturing (AM) of metal components, which include high deposition rates, efficient material use and low material costs. While the feasibility of wire-feed AM has been demonstrated, the accuracy and surface finish of the produced parts is generally lower than those obtained using powder-bed/-feed AM. The purpose of this study was to develop and investigate the feasibility of a fine wire-based laser metal deposition (FW-LMD) process for producing high-precision metal components with improved resolution, dimensional accuracy and surface finish. Design/methodology/approach The proposed FW-LMD AM process uses a fine stainless steel wire with a diameter of 100 µm as the additive material and a pulsed Nd:YAG laser as the heat source. The pulsed laser beam generates a melt pool on the substrate into which the fine wire is fed, and upon moving the X–Y stage, a single-pass weld bead is created during solidification that can be laterally and vertically stacked to create a 3D metal component. Process parameters including laser power, pulse duration and stage speed were optimized for the single-pass weld bead. The effect of lateral overlap was studied to ensure low surface roughness of the first layer onto which subsequent layers can be deposited. Multi-layer deposition was also performed and the resulting cross-sectional morphology, microhardness, phase formation, grain growth and tensile strength have been investigated. Findings An optimized lateral overlap of about 60-70% results in an average surface roughness of 8-16 µm along all printed directions of the X–Y stage. The single-layer thickness and dimensional accuracy of the proposed FW-LMD process was about 40-80 µm and ±30 µm, respectively. A dense cross-sectional morphology was observed for the multilayer stacking without any visible voids, pores or defects present between the layers. X-ray diffraction confirmed a majority austenite phase with small ferrite phase formation that occurs at the junction of the vertically stacked beads, as confirmed by the electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis. Tensile tests were performed and an ultimate tensile strength of about 700-750 MPa was observed for all samples. Furthermore, multilayer printing of different shapes with improved surface finish and thin-walled and inclined metal structures with a minimum achievable resolution of about 500 µm was presented. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to report a directed energy deposition process using a fine metal wire with a diameter of 100 µm and can be a possible solution to improving surface finish and reducing the “stair-stepping” effect that is generally observed for wires with a larger diameter. The AM process proposed in this study can be an attractive alternative for 3D printing of high-precision metal components and can find application for rapid prototyping in a range of industries such as medical and automotive, among others.


2019 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 267-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aqib Mashood Khan ◽  
Muhammad Jamil ◽  
Ahsan Ul Haq ◽  
Salman Hussain ◽  
Longhui Meng ◽  
...  

Purpose Sustainable machining is a global consensus and the necessity to cope up the serious environmental threats. Minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) and nanofluids-based MQL(NFMQL) are state-of-the-art sustainable lubrication modes. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of process parameters, such as feed rate, depth of cut and cutting fluid flow rate, on temperature and surface roughness of the manufactured pieces during face milling of the AISI D2 steel. Design/methodology/approach A statistical technique called response surface methodology with Box–Behnken Design was used to design experimental runs, and empirical modeling was presented. Analysis of variance was carried out to evaluate the model’s accuracy and the validation of the applied technique. Findings A comprehensive analysis revealed the superiority of implementing NFMQL in comparison to MQL within the levels of process parameters. The comparison has shown a significant reduction of temperature under NFMQL at the tool-workpiece interface from 16.2 to 34.5 per cent and surface roughness from 11.3 to 12 per cent. Practical implications This research is useful for practitioners to predict the responses in workshop and select appropriate cutting parameters. Moreover, this research will be helpful to reduce the resource which will ultimately save energy consumption and cost. Originality/value To cope with the industrial challenges and tribological issues associated with the milling of AISI D2 steel, experiments were conducted in a distinct machining mode with innovative cooling/lubrication. Until now, few studies have addressed the key lubrication effects of Al2O3-based nanofluid on the machinability of D2 steel under NFMQL lubrication condition.


2016 ◽  
Vol 82 (6) ◽  
pp. 1966-1975 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christelle Lacroix ◽  
Kurra Renner ◽  
Ellen Cole ◽  
Eric W. Seabloom ◽  
Elizabeth T. Borer ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTEcological understanding of disease risk, emergence, and dynamics and of the efficacy of control strategies relies heavily on efficient tools for microorganism identification and characterization. Misdetection, such as the misclassification of infected hosts as healthy, can strongly bias estimates of disease prevalence and lead to inaccurate conclusions. In natural plant ecosystems, interest in assessing microbial dynamics is increasing exponentially, but guidelines for detection of microorganisms in wild plants remain limited, particularly so for plant viruses. To address this gap, we explored issues and solutions associated with virus detection by serological and molecular methods in noncrop plant species as applied to the globally importantBarley yellow dwarf virusPAV (Luteoviridae), which infects wild native plants as well as crops. With enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), we demonstrate how virus detection in a perennial wild plant species may be much greater in stems than in leaves, although leaves are most commonly sampled, and may also vary among tillers within an individual, thereby highlighting the importance of designing effective sampling strategies. With reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR), we demonstrate how inhibitors in tissues of perennial wild hosts can suppress virus detection but can be overcome with methods and products that improve isolation and amplification of nucleic acids. These examples demonstrate the paramount importance of testing and validating survey designs and virus detection methods for noncrop plant communities to ensure accurate ecological surveys and reliable assumptions about virus dynamics in wild hosts.


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