Prediction of tool wear in micro USM

Micro Ultrasonic Machining (USM) is used to generate micro features in hard and brittle materials. However, tool wear occurs during machining. In this paper, low cycle fatigue is identified as the dominant factor causing tool wear in micro USM. A theoretical model is proposed to estimate the tool wear. Experimental results of tungsten and stainless steel 316L agree with the theoretical values. The tool rotation has no significant influence on tool wear. The difference between the experimental and theoretical results is sensitive to the variance of abrasive particle number in the working zone.