Commercially available dental computer aided design/computer aided manufacture (CAD/CAM) systems usually use abrasive machining processes such as diamond grinding and milling. One of the major disadvantages of abrasive machining processes is subsurface cracks. In the present paper, rotary ultrasonic machining (RUM) technology is introduced into machining of alumina dental ceramics. The subsurface cracks are observed under scanning electron microscope. Effects of ultrasonic vibration on the subsurface cracks are also investigated. Results show that RUM is a very promising process to significantly reduce subsurface cracks in CAD/CAM of dental ceramics.

Issue Section:
2010 Design of Medical Devices Conference Abstracts
Keywords:
alumina, bioceramics, CAD/CAM, dentistry, surface cracks, ultrasonic machining
Topics:
Ceramics, Computer-aided design, Fracture (Materials), Ultrasonic machining
Copyright © 2010
 by American Society of Mechanical Engineers