Rotary Ultrasonic Machining of Potassium Dihydrogen Phosphate (KDP) crystal: an experimental investigation

Abstract

Potassium Dihydrogen Phosphate (KDP) crystal, widely used as important electro-optic parts, is a typical hard-to-machine material for its soft, brittle, and anisotropic properties. KDP parts usually require extremely high machining quality. Reported methods so far for KDP crystal machining include diamond turning, grinding, magnetorheological finishing, and polishing. This paper presents an experimental investigation on Rotary Ultrasonic Machining (RUM) of KDP. Data of several output parameters (such as grinding force and torque, surface roughness, and edge chipping) were collected and analysed. As a comparison, diamond drilling (without ultrasonic vibration) was also tested.