Ultrasonic Cutting Process

Home
>
Composite Manufacturing
>
Ultrasonic Cutting
Ultrasonic Cutting Process

Ultrasonic Cutting of Composite Materials

Since the early 90s, our sister company SONIMAT has gain a long and rich experience using ultrasonic technology for assembly, welding and cutting applications.

Ultrasounds are mechanical vibrations similar to those produced by any musical instrument. These vibrations are called ultrasound because they are at a frequency higher than the hearing capacity of the human ear (more than 16 kHz). These pressure waves are produced by a generator.

The generator sends an alternating current having the same frequency as the converter (or transducer) composed of piezoelectric ceramic which transforms it into mechanical vibrations. A voltage is sent on the ceramic and the latter “elongates” or “shortens” according to the polarity of the voltage. Once the vibration is produced, it is then amplified and transmitted to the parts to be welded or cut by the sonotrode.

Discover our ultrasonic cutting solutions.

The generator converts the electrical frequency (50/60 Hz) into high frequency electrical energy corresponding, in this scheme, to 20000 Hz.

The piezoelectric converter (or transducer) transforms the electrical 20000 Hz into mechanical vibrations of the same frequency. The energy then becomes mechanical.

The booster, or amplitude modifier, will increase or decrease the amplitude produced by the converter. Last element of the acoustic chain, the sonotrode transmits the ultrasonic energy to the part to cut.

In the ultrasonic cutting process, the sonotrode is also called cutter. Receiving 20000 vibrations per second, this ultrasonic cutter requires less pressure to cut the composite and honeycomb materials.

print "\n";