SBIR Phase I: Ultrahigh Speed Micromachining Spindle

该小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目旨在开发一种超高速、精密的微细加工主轴。要求小型化、设计灵活性、降低能耗和高精度的工业和军事产品的趋势继续加速--特别是在医疗、生物技术、电信和能源领域。这些细分行业需要尺寸和几何特征从几十微米到几毫米的高精度三维部件。由于用于生成这类产品的刀具较小，因此需要较高的切割速度来提高加工效率。该项目旨在开发一种新型的超高速微细加工主轴，其加工速度超过每分钟500,000转。主轴设计依靠独特的无油箔轴承。所提出的微细加工主轴的主要优点包括通过实施超高速加工获得更高的生产率和精度，从而降低切削力和刀具振动。该项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力包括使依靠微制造技术的广泛工业部门能够以成本效益的方式制造所需的微型部件。由于在建议的切割速度下微加工的基本科学原理尚不清楚，因此建议的主轴的可用性将使基础研究能够揭示材料在超高速切割速度下的反应。这些基本信息可能会带来新的科学发现，并进一步扩展微机械加工过程。产生的数据和信息无疑将在未来用于研究生的培养。该项目的广泛影响包括扩大微制造研究，以及为下一代科学研究人员和技术开发人员在更广泛的领域开展微机械加工和微制造相关工作提供研究机会，这些领域包括微定位设备、微模具制造、微传感和监控系统以及微工厂集成和优化。微磨主轴的商业化将有助于发展新的业务和产业，以及高附加值的工作岗位。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to develop an ultrahigh speed, precision, micro-milling spindle. The trends in industrial and military products that demand miniaturization, design flexibility, reduced energy consumption and high accuracy continue to accelerate -- especially in the medical, biotechnology, telecommunications and energy fields. These industry segments require high-precision, three-dimensional components with sizes and geometric features ranging from tens of micrometers to a few millimeters. Because the cutting tools used for generation of such products are small, high cutting speeds are needed to increase the machining efficiencies. This project is aimed at developing a new, ultrahigh speed micro-milling spindle for machining at speeds in excess of 500,000 revolutions per minute. The spindle design relies on unique oil-free foil bearings. The principal advantages of the proposed micro-milling spindle include higher production rates and precision obtained through the implementation of the ultrahigh speed machining that will decrease the cutting forces and tool vibrations. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project includes enabling cost-effective manufacture of micro-components needed across a broad range of industrial sectors relying on micro-fabrication technology. Since the underlying scientific principles of micro-machining at the proposed cutting speeds are not known, the availability of the proposed spindle will allow for basic studies to uncover the response of materials under ultrahigh cutting speeds. Such basic information could lead to new scientific discoveries and further extend the micromachining processes. The data and information generated will undoubtedly be used in the future for training of graduate students. The broad impact of this project includes expansion of micro-manufacturing research, and research opportunities for next-generation scientific researchers and technology developers to pursue micro-machining and micro-manufacturing related efforts in the broader fields of micro-positioning devices, micro-die-and-mold manufacturing, micro-sensing and monitoring systems, and micro-factory integrations and optimization. Commercialization of the micro-milling spindle will be instrumental in the development of new businesses and industries, and high value added jobs.