Modern Machining Technology

5

Thermal advanced machining processes

Aitzol Lamikiz, Eneko Ukar, Ivan Tabernero and Silvia Martinez,     University of the Basque Country, Spain

Abstract:

This chapter deals with processes that use a heat source for the processing of materials (mainly metallic materials). In the past 25 years, different processes that apply a heat source to remove material have been developed. The main advantage of these processes is to cut or machine highly localized areas without a tool and mechanical forces. In this group, there are different heat sources such as laser, plasma, electric arc, etc. In this chapter these types of sources will be briefly described and the processes that use a laser as a heat source will be focused on. Finally, the cutting ...