Abstract
The present work aims to develop an ultrasonic vibration assisted grinding technology for the internal precision machining of small holes measuring several millimeters in diameter, such as those formed in a fuel injector for an automotive engine. This paper describes a fabricated experimental apparatus, whose main component is an ultrasonic vibration spindle, and experimental investigation of its performance in surface grinding operations. Fundamental experiments are carried out on the fabricated apparatus in order to investigate the effects of the ultrasonic vibration on grinding force and surface roughness. The experimental results indicate that applying ultrasonic vibration to a quill decreases the normal and tangential grinding forces by more than 65% and 70%, respectively, and the surface roughness by as much as 20%.
