ULTRASONIC MACHINING—A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW

Ultrasonic machining (USM) is a mechanical material removal process used to erode holes and cavities in hard or brittle workpieces by using shaped tools, high-frequency mechanical motion, and an abrasive slurry. The fundamental principles of stationary ultrasonic machining, the material removal mechanisms involved, proposed models for estimation of machining rate, the effect of operating parameters on material removal rate, tool wear rate, and workpiece surface finish, research work reported on rotary mode USM, hybrid USM, process capabilities of USM have been extensively reviewed in this article. The limitations of USM, gaps observed from the literature review, and the directions for future research have also been presented. Overall, this article presents a comprehensive review of USM process for advancement of the process through fundamental insights into the process.