Review of Sustainability Issues in Non-Traditional Machining Processes

Non-traditional machining processes (such as EDM and ECM) provide alternatives or sometimes the only alternative in generating highly complex 3-D features in very difficult-to -machine materials. This paper reviews recently published work on sustainability issues related to these processes. For example in Electrochemical machining (ECM) the effect of sludge generation and selection of dielectric in Electrodischarge machining (EDM) need to be investigated from the sustainability point of view. All processes need to be studied not only for resulting productivity and accuracy but also their environmental impact during product generation and usage. This paper addresses process mechanisms, surface integrity, sensing and control and sustainabilty issues of EDM, ECM, USM and AFM processes at macro, micro and nano-scales.