Rotary ultrasonic machining of dental ceramics

Dental ceramics are used for a number of aesthetic and prostheses applications due to their high compressive strength, superior wear resistance and natural aesthetical appearance. However, their cost-effective machining still remains a challenge. This paper reports an experimental study on machining of one type of dental ceramics (macor) with rotary ultrasonic machining (RUM). Effects of process parameters (spindle speed, feed rate and ultrasonic vibration power) on the cutting force, surface roughness, and chipping size are obtained.