Question

Chemical milling is used in an aircraft plant to create pockets in wing sections made of an aluminum alloy. The starting thickness of one workpart of interest is 20 mm. A series of rectangular-shaped pockets 12 mm deep are to be etched with dimensions 200 mm by 400 mm. The corners of each rectangle are radiused to 15 mm. The part is an aluminum alloy and the etchant is NaOH. The penetration rate for this combination is 0.024 mm/min and the etch factor is 1.75.

Determine
(a) metal removal rate in mm3/min,
(b) time required to etch to the specified depth.

Answer 1

a) metal removal rate is 1915.37 mm³/min

b) the time required to etch to the specified depth is 500 min or 8.333 hrs

Step-by-step explanation:

Given the data in the question;

starting thickness of one work part of interest = 20 mm

depth of series of rectangular-shaped pockets = 12 mm

dimension of pocket = 200 mm by 400 mm

radius of corners of each rectangle = 15 mm

penetration rate = 0.024 mm/minute

etch factor = 1.75

a)

To get the metal removal rate MRR;

The initial area will be smaller compare to the given dimensions of 200mm by 400mm and the metal removal rate would increase during the cut as area is increased. so'

A = 200 × 400 - ( 30 × 30 - ( π × 15² ) )

= 80000 - ( 900 - 707 )

= 80000 - 193

A = 79807 mm²

Hence, metal removal rate MRR = penetration rate × A

MRR = 0.024 mm/minute × 79807 mm²

MRR = 1915.37 mm³/min

Therefore, metal removal rate is 1915.37 mm³/min

b) To get the time required to etch to the specified depth;

Time to machine ( etch ) = depth of series of rectangular-shaped pockets / penetration rate

we substitute

Time to machine ( etch ) = 12 mm / 0.024 mm/minute

Time to machine ( etch ) = 500 min or 8.333 hrs

Therefore, the time required to etch to the specified depth is 500 min or 8.333 hrs