Benefits of CNC Machining

The CNC stands for Computer Numerical Control, is a process of machining substances  that involves computer aided technology to control tools. Tools that can be controlled in this manner include grinders, lathes, mills and routers. In this technology the computer's unique software and control console sets the system apart for use in CNC machining.

In CNC Machining the machine tools function through numerical control in which a computer program is customized for an object to be machined. The machines are programmed with a CNC machining language called G-code. This controls all features like location, feed rate, coordination, and speeds. This technology is utilized in manufacturing both metal and plastic parts for Custom Machining Services.

The main benefits of using CNC Machining is that, this process is more precise than manual machining methods. As it delivers precision machining, this process can produce complex shapes that would be almost impossible to achieve with manual machining

Below are major benefits of CNC Machining Process:

1)      Cost savings:  It  allows the operator to take full advantage of raw materials. More accuracy is delivered and less waste is produced. Therefore, it minimizes the loss and increases profit over costs.

2)      Speed:  This technology has fastened the machining process. It can quickly produce parts that would normally take multiple steps to manufacture by manual process.

3)      Improved Efficiency:  CNC machines are the most efficient mean to deliver quality and Precision machining services. The minute an error can be detected in the product therefore leads to optimum raw material usage.

4)      Safety:  As the entire process is automated, There is complete safety of operators and workers, allowing a safer work environment.

This technology is also utilized for the jobs that need a high level of precision. It is because of these qualities that CNC Machining is used for the production of many complex three-dimensional shapes.

Mechanical and Physical Properties of Zirconia

Zirconia is also known as Ceramic steel. It posses the transformational and toughening system, which doesn't occur in any other ceramic material. According to many researchers the development and marketing effort has been expended on this single material which offers the traditional ceramic advantages of hardness, wear resistance and corrosion resistance, without the characteristic ceramic property of absolute brittleness.

Elementary properties of zirconia ceramic which makes it highly usable ceramic:

·        High hardness

·        High strength

·        Electrical insulation

·        Very high wear resistance

·        High fracture toughness

·        Excellent frictional behavior

·        Extremely non-magnetic nature

·        Low thermal conductivity

·        Modulus of elasticity equal to steel

·        Coefficient of thermal expansion similar to iron

·        High corrosion resistance in alkalis and acids

In familiar with all other engineering ceramics, the achievement of these properties is mostly reliant on both the initial powders and the fabrication methods. These outstanding properties advance and enhance the machining zirconia process. As it leads to perfect machining of the material. Therefore, it is a highly machinable ceramic material.

All commonly used ceramic consolidation methods can be applied to zirconia ceramic. Some of these techniques are iso-static pressing, dry pressing injection moulding, extrusion tape casting and dry pressing. Fault elimination at all development stages is essential for not only reliability but also high strength.  


With decisive flaws of the order of 45 µm, clean room technique has been shown to drastically improve both distribution of strengths and mean strengths. The values of about 1500 MPa bending strength with modulus 30 have been recorded for various zirconia ceramic materials. 

Role of Tungsten in Future

Tungsten having symbol W and atomic number 74 is one of the ostensible transition metals. The shiny gray metal remains solid in state at room temperature. Tungsten is characterized by unique chemical and physical properties. The requirements of a more energy conscious world in relation to the efficient consumption and production of energy has escalated in past years and will become increasingly significant for the society in the future.

Presently, worldwide energy consumption is growing much faster than the overall supply. The effectiveness of conventional technologies should be enhanced in order to decrease losses in distribution and transmission of energy. New technologies and strategies must be developed for ‘Using less & doing more’. Whatever new solutions may be developed in the future, it can be expected that tungsten based components and materials will surely play their constructive part in meeting these obstacles.

Tungsten products have contributed a lot in the past both as advanced tools and functional materials with marvelous properties. This contribution will not reduce in the approaching future. Recent deliberations on global warming and the conclusion that some greenhouse gases are responsible for the majority of observed temperature increase since the starting of twentieth century, have brought reduction calls in emissions which will stipulate a more careful handling of fossil energy globally.

The search for substitutes will be increased, as oil, coal and natural gas reserves are being depleted and the necessity to use existing renewable and natural resources is also gradually increasing. In near future, there is a huge opportunity for tungsten containingproducts which have tactical significance in the field of fossil energy, power transmission, fossil energy production, or renewable power generation, and power distribution, because of their brilliant properties. 

Sapphire- An Element with Unique Properties

Sapphire is one of the most durable, hardest and scratch-resistant materials. It was first synthesized in 1902. The process of making synthetic Sapphire is called as Verneuil process. Only experts can differentiate between synthetic and natural Sapphire. It offers a broad transmission range from Ultra Violet to mid infrared wavelengths (250–4500 nm). The material is able to bear up extreme temperature changes and environmental conditions.

The most valuable color of Sapphire is a cornflower blue color, also known as Cornflower Blue Sapphire or Kashmir Sapphire. A unique type of sapphire, known as color changing Sapphire, shows various color patterns depending upon the lightening. In natural light, it is blue, but in artificial light, it is violet. Pink and yellow Sapphire has recently become very popular, and is often used in jewelry.

Sapphire mainly consists of minor inclusions of minute slender Rutile needles. These inclusions decrease the transparency and clearness of a stone and are called as silk. In dense and parallel groupings, the inclusions can actually improve by allowing polished Sapphires to exhibit asterism (a prominent star like pattern). Sapphire gems displaying asterism are called as ‘Star Sapphires’, and these are highly expensive.

It is pleochroic, displays an intense and lighter color when viewed at different angles. Some pleochroic Sapphire is purple when viewed at one angle, and blue at a different angle. Color zoning, which is created from growth layers that build up at the time of the formation of the stone, may also be present in certain Sapphires. Color zoning is certainly responsible for darker and lighter colors of Sapphire. Many Sapphire gemstones are even multicolored such as pink, blue and purple.

Machining sapphire is very complex and difficult process. Its machining requires special types of tools and techniques. An ideal machining procedure is possible only if favorable conditions are provided. Diamond tooling method is highly used in machining sapphire. It is a tough and durable element and  only natural gemstone harder than Diamond. Inspite of this, Sapphire is still subject to fracture and chipping if handled roughly.  

Reasons to choose Ceramic Capacitors over Tantalum Capacitors

The extensive use of ceramics represents a milestone in the history of electronics. Tantalum capacitors are used in electronics because of high melting point, high capacitance and high density. It is corrosion resistant to most acids at different temperatures. All these unique features have made tantalum increasingly useful over the years, especially in nano electrical circuitry.

But the scarcity of tantalum powder has boosted the demand for alternate components. After using tantalum parts for many years, manufacturers suddenly wanted other alternate options. The development and research efforts lead to the improvement in engineering and production methods for ceramic capacitors. As a result, there were the surprising improvements in design combined with the inherent uniqueness of ceramics.

The design modifications led to numerous advantages, which includes low ESR (equivalent series resistance), non polarization, ease of placement and high voltage. The Low ESR is vital because it lets manufacturers to use lesser-value capacitors without corrupting performance. However, the more important fact is that the ceramic capacitors are very cost efficient. Customers realized that the design flexibility offered by ceramics is better than tantalum capacitors.

The designs of ceramic caps are easily adjustable, which allows the drop-in replacements in filtering, smoothing, decoupling and by-passing and applications. Ceramic caps can be easily customized in a cost-effective manner. However, it is not possible for tantalum because machining tantalum consumes lots of time and is expensive. The lead time dropped from 52 weeks for tantalum caps to eight weeks for ceramics.

Small capacitors can't attain the same capacitance as larger ones. They do need fewer raw materials. Reduced demand for raw material lessens the possibility of a material shortage which increases cost. As tantalum capacitors are much larger than the ceramic using ceramic caps can reduce equipment size and cost. Other benefit is that the electrode material nickel used to make ceramics is much easier to mine and find than tantalum.

The future of ceramic capacitors is very bright. As consumers gets attracted to more sophisticated products and smaller size, manufacturers are now giving importance to the size, design flexibility and cost of capacitors. Although tantalum is still a useful material, ceramics have established their mark in the market. 

Handling Instructions during Quartz Glass Machining

Like conventional glass, quartz glass does not contain soda or calcium oxide, instead it consists   pure silica. In an industrially produced quartz glass, a distinction is made between synthetic (fused silicon dioxide) and natural (fused quartz) origin. Industries generally manufacture primary materials with different concentrations of impurities in the ppm (parts per million) range.

Quartz glass is formed by melting quartz sand of excellent purity (Silicon Dioxide content of 99.97%) and then allowing the melt material to solidify and cool down. Semi-finished products made from quartz glass have many extraordinary properties.  This makes quartz glass best for high-quality goods and ideal for  a wide range of applications.

Instructions during Machining:

• To maximize service life: We can increase the life expectancy of quartz glass products by keeping them neat and clean. Even a smaller amount of impurity present on the surface of a product can cause the whole area to be devitrified when the product is heated. This also increases the devitrification of other areas and shortens the service life of product. Quartz glass products are mostly used for high-temperature operations and in processes where high purity is necessary. Therefore, while machining quartz glass, it is very important to handle the products in a clean working environment.

• To maintain a safe working environment: It is highly recommended that do not handle quartz glass products with uncovered hands. We should protect the glass products from dust and dirt during storage and keep them in plastic bags.

        

1)    Use a dust control device or wear a dust mask during slicing or/and grinding as dust particles will be created.

2)    Handle the products very carefully as they are made up of glass.

Different Ways Of Machining Molybdenum

Molybdenum is a element with symbol ‘Mo’ and atomic number 42. Its name has been derived from Neo-Latin word ‘molybdaenum’ meaning lead, and was discovered in 1781 by Carl Wilhelm Scheele. It does not occur naturally as a free metal, and only found in different oxidation states. Machining molybdenum can be done through common metal machining processes, and therefore, no individual methods or equipments are required to produce parts with accurate dimensions.

• Tools for machining molybdenum: For machining molybdenum, tools should be sharp, firmly chucked and well supported. The machines should be sufficiently powerful, rigid and free from backlash. Tools life is shorter than expected   as molybdenum is more abrasive than other metals. It has the tendency to chip while being machined. 

• Lubricants: Machining is done without lubrication, but if they are used, the tool life can be increased and so do the cutting speed. It helps in removing fine molybdenum particles from the tools. Use of lubricants makes the various high- chlorinated oils and solvents effective in various processes of band saw cutting, turning, in reaming, drilling, tapping and in hacksaw. Sulfur-based cutting oils cannot be used in machining, electronic parts because of their poisonous effect on final properties.

• Sawing and shearing: Sawing molybdenum is the practice of that used for super alloys. The use of a soluble oil, coolant is the band saw or hacksaw cut removes the chips and lengthens the blade life. The most efficient blades used for sawing are high speed steel blades with only one tooth area.

• Milling and shaping: Milling and shaping of molybdenum is done with carbide grading tools which are normally used for casting iron. Face Milling is effective for machining plain surfaces. 

• Drilling reaming and threading: Two- lipped carbide drill is generally used for drilling. Cutting oil should be used for all the tapping, reaming and drilling purposes. Reaming is a very difficult process, the tool life is very low as compared to the other machining processes. Threading can be done in various ways. Thread cutting with single tool is one of the most popular ways. 

• Electropolishing and photoetching: The Electropolishing of molybdenum is done using two most commonly used acids- Sulphuric acid and phosphoric acid. They both provide better finishing. The baths using these acids are done under room temperature with molybdenum as anode. The photoetching process mainly done by conventional methods. It is either done chemically or electrolytically.