Nano/micro grinding mechanisms and technologies for brittle materials. The successful completion of the project will solve a long standing problem, that is, the ductile removal mechanism in the machining of brittle materials and create a strong knowledge base for the development of technology and characterization techniques for nano/micro mechanical machining of such materials. This will strengthen UWA's research capability and international competitiveness in the field of nano/micro manufacturi ....Nano/micro grinding mechanisms and technologies for brittle materials. The successful completion of the project will solve a long standing problem, that is, the ductile removal mechanism in the machining of brittle materials and create a strong knowledge base for the development of technology and characterization techniques for nano/micro mechanical machining of such materials. This will strengthen UWA's research capability and international competitiveness in the field of nano/micro manufacturing. The pragmatic grinding technology developed for fabricating micro aspherical mould inserts and lenses will directly benefit the optics/photonics, microelectronics and biomedical industries in Australia. This will help to position Australia in the forefront of emerging industries in the new millenniumRead moreRead less
Process models and control strategies for abrasive waterjet precision cutting of amorphous magnetic metal parts for energy efficient electrical machines. Amorphous magnetic metal (AMM) is the most energy-efficient material for electrical machines and can save more than 36% of the energy wasted by an electrical motor using an ordinary core material. Since electrical motors consume about 70% of all the electricity generated, energy saving of approximately $900 million annually in electricity bills ....Process models and control strategies for abrasive waterjet precision cutting of amorphous magnetic metal parts for energy efficient electrical machines. Amorphous magnetic metal (AMM) is the most energy-efficient material for electrical machines and can save more than 36% of the energy wasted by an electrical motor using an ordinary core material. Since electrical motors consume about 70% of all the electricity generated, energy saving of approximately $900 million annually in electricity bills, and an annual reduction of 2.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in Australia are expected. This project will develop a unique technology able to cut AMM to the required quality and productivity. It targets the national research priorities in Frontier Technologies and An Environmentally Sustainable Australia. Read moreRead less
Modelling the cutting process and cutting performance in contour and multipass abrasive waterjet machining. This project will develop important new cutting techniques to increase the cutting capability and application domain of the abrasive waterjet (AWJ) cutting technology. It will gain a fundamental understanding of the cutting phenomenon and develop new mathematical models for predicting the cutting performance in AWJ contouring and multipass cutting. This project will further develop into a ....Modelling the cutting process and cutting performance in contour and multipass abrasive waterjet machining. This project will develop important new cutting techniques to increase the cutting capability and application domain of the abrasive waterjet (AWJ) cutting technology. It will gain a fundamental understanding of the cutting phenomenon and develop new mathematical models for predicting the cutting performance in AWJ contouring and multipass cutting. This project will further develop into a new branch of manufacturing science by uncovering the cutting mechanisms in AWJ machining with and without nozzle oscillation, and have significant impact to the manufacturing industry by providing machining information and cutting performance models to increase the technological and economic performance of AWJ machining.Read moreRead less
Development of micro abrasive water jetting technology for micro machining and polishing on small complex curved surfaces. The fabrication of micro-parts such as those used in integrated sensors and micro-actuators is a new challenge for the rapid development of this industry. Many existing technologies either find limitations or result in defects on the machined surfaces. This project will develop an innovative abrasive water-jetting technology for micro machining and polishing. It will deve ....Development of micro abrasive water jetting technology for micro machining and polishing on small complex curved surfaces. The fabrication of micro-parts such as those used in integrated sensors and micro-actuators is a new challenge for the rapid development of this industry. Many existing technologies either find limitations or result in defects on the machined surfaces. This project will develop an innovative abrasive water-jetting technology for micro machining and polishing. It will develop the fundamentals and prototype for further development by industry. New nozzle designs will be analyzed and optimized by computational fluid dynamics studies and experimental investigations using a Particle Image Velocimeter. Mathematical models for the processing performance will also be developed for use in process control.Read moreRead less
Modelling the jet characteristics and process performance for abrasive waterjet micro-machining. This project will develop a new manufacturing science and technology for micro-machining using a micro-abrasive waterjet. The new technology will provide an effective means for micro-cutting, etching and super-finish polishing on various micro-parts, particularly for advanced materials such as ceramics and glasses that are being increasingly used by industry while other technologies either experience ....Modelling the jet characteristics and process performance for abrasive waterjet micro-machining. This project will develop a new manufacturing science and technology for micro-machining using a micro-abrasive waterjet. The new technology will provide an effective means for micro-cutting, etching and super-finish polishing on various micro-parts, particularly for advanced materials such as ceramics and glasses that are being increasingly used by industry while other technologies either experience difficulties or result in defects in processing them. This technology will increase the capacity of the Australian manufacturing industry to exploit new leading technologies and products.Read moreRead less
Guided droplet deposition: Microfabrication of advanced materials. The progress of micro and nanofabrication is opening an array of new opportunities with a new degree of freedom for manufacturing. This process will complement the existing micromanufacturing facilities in Melbourne. While metal printing and deposition of polymers is presently available, the guided droplet deposition will extend current capabilities to include ceramics and high melting temperature metals. Direct application to me ....Guided droplet deposition: Microfabrication of advanced materials. The progress of micro and nanofabrication is opening an array of new opportunities with a new degree of freedom for manufacturing. This process will complement the existing micromanufacturing facilities in Melbourne. While metal printing and deposition of polymers is presently available, the guided droplet deposition will extend current capabilities to include ceramics and high melting temperature metals. Direct application to medical devices will provide a more effective surface for improved performance and allow the incorporation of smart and sensor materials for multifunctional devices. Read moreRead less
Effect of Chemo-Mechanical Grinding on Surface Integrity of Single Crystal Silicon Substrates. Silicon substrates or wafers are extensively used in electronic and optic/photonic industries. A long-time standing problem in silicon wafer machining is the surface and subsurface damage induced by machining. This may significantly affect the mechanical, optical and electronic characteristics of wafer-based components. The issue becomes increasingly more critical as the application of silicon wafers i ....Effect of Chemo-Mechanical Grinding on Surface Integrity of Single Crystal Silicon Substrates. Silicon substrates or wafers are extensively used in electronic and optic/photonic industries. A long-time standing problem in silicon wafer machining is the surface and subsurface damage induced by machining. This may significantly affect the mechanical, optical and electronic characteristics of wafer-based components. The issue becomes increasingly more critical as the application of silicon wafers is extending further as structural components. The research outcomes will contribute an improved understanding of Chemo Mechanical Grinding process and help to develop innovative technologies for silicon industries.Read moreRead less