Aerospace-grade composites made easy

The new method involves a technique called ultrasonically-assisted machining (UAM), which uses a specially designed piezoelectric transducer working in tandem with a traditional turning, drilling or milling machine. The device creates ultrasonic vibrations at anything between 20 and 39kHz, and the machining technique makes the composite material so soft that much less force is needed from the cutting tool, resulting in less damage, less waste and a better finish. Dr Anish Roy, who helped develop the process, said: "Ultrasonic drilling has shown excellent damage mitigation with remarkable drilling force reductions. The researchers are currently working with aerospace giant Airbus to advance the technology further. "The ease of set-up, usage and cost-friendliness of the technology makes it a perfect candidate for future manufacturing processes," Dr Roy concluded