Development of a Novel Interchangeable Stage for Multidimensional Vibration-Assisted Micromilling

Emerging applications in functional surface manufacturing have driven the need for advanced micromachining techniques capable of producing complex micro-/nanoscale textures. To address this growing demand, this article presents the development of an innovative interchangeable piezoelectric actuator-driven vibration stage designed for multidimensional vibration-assisted micromilling applications. To achieve high precision and multiple dimensions of vibration motions, the design incorporates flexible stages, including 1-degree-of-freedom (1-DOF), 2-DOF, and 3-DOF stages, each offering unique advantages tailored to the requirements of various milling techniques. Different kinds of decoupling mechanisms were implemented in the stage designs to minimize the coupling displacement at the output end, featuring circular-fillet and arched hinges. Based on the matrix method and Lagrangian principle, compliance modeling and parameters optimization of the flexible stages were conducted, and the results were validated through finite-element analysis. The results demonstrated a coupling error of 1.72% in 1-DOF vibration motion and a coupling ratio of up to 60.98% in 3-DOF vibration motion. Finally, an experimental system was established, and performance tests as well as machining experiments were carried out. The machining results present sets of regularly arranged micron-scale textures, indicating that the proposed vibration system exhibits excellent performance in the multidimensional vibration-assisted micromilling processes.