Ultra-Precision Micro Cutting and Micro Polishing

A special issue of Micromachines (ISSN 2072-666X). This special issue belongs to the section "D:Materials and Processing".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 1821

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
Interests: ultra-precision machining technologies; chemo-mechanical polishing; chemical catalyst-assisted polishing; plasma polishing; tribological mechanisms and superlubricity behaviors of solid-film surfaces; ultra-smooth surface manufacturing for optical materials

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Guest Editor
Advanced Machining Technology Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
Interests: surface and interface modification; electrochemical and plasma-assisted machining on optical mold materials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Next-generation products with atomic precision have attracted researchers’ attention, prompting the development of ultra-precision micro-cutting and micro-polishing technologies to facilitate atomic- and close-to-atomic-scale manufacturing. Therefore, this Special Issue will showcase the latest advancements in the field of micro-cutting and micro-polishing, covering novel methods, experimental and simulated results, and traditional technologic models. In addition, micro-cutting and micro-polishing processes involve interfacial and surficial mechanical effects, tribo-chemical reactions, and material transfer and migration. We invite the submission of original research articles, review articles, and communications on changes in the surface/subsurface and material evolution during ultra-precision micro-cutting and micro-polishing, with topics of interest including but not limited to the following:

  • Ultra-precision cutting;
  • Cutting mechanisms;
  • Chemical and mechanical polishing;
  • Elastic emission machining;
  • Photoelectrochemical polishing;
  • Plasma polishing;
  • Jet polishing;
  • Magnetic fluid polishing;
  • Ion beam polishing;
  • Laser-assisted polishing;
  • Ultraviolet-assisted polishing;
  • Catalyst-referenced etching polishing.

All submitted papers will undergo a rigorous peer review process to ensure the quality and novelty of the work.

We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions.

Dr. Yinhui Wang
Dr. Weijia Guo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Micromachines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ultra-precision cutting
  • cutting mechanisms
  • chemical and mechanical polishing
  • elastic emission machining
  • photoelectrochemical polishing
  • plasma polishing
  • jet polishing
  • magnetic fluid polishing
  • ion beam polishing
  • laser-assisted polishing
  • ultraviolet-assisted polishing
  • catalyst-referenced etching polishing

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 3386 KB  
Article
Effect of Grain Size on Polycrystalline Copper Finish Quality of Ultra-Precision Cutting
by Chuandong Zhang, Xinlei Yue, Kaiyuan You and Wei Wang
Micromachines 2025, 16(10), 1133; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16101133 - 30 Sep 2025
Abstract
Polycrystalline copper optics are widely utilized in infrared systems due to their exceptional electrical and thermal conductivity combined with favorable machining characteristics. The grain size profoundly influences both surface quality consistency and fundamental material removal behavior during processing. This investigation employs multiscale numerical [...] Read more.
Polycrystalline copper optics are widely utilized in infrared systems due to their exceptional electrical and thermal conductivity combined with favorable machining characteristics. The grain size profoundly influences both surface quality consistency and fundamental material removal behavior during processing. This investigation employs multiscale numerical modeling to simulate nanoscale cutting processes in polycrystalline copper with controlled grain structures, coupled with experimental ultra-precision machining validation. Comprehensive analysis of stress distribution, subsurface damage formation, and cutting force evolution reveals that refined grain structures promote more homogeneous plastic deformation, resulting in superior surface finish with reduced roughness and diminished grain boundary step formation. However, the enhanced grain boundary density in fine-grained specimens necessitates increased cutting energy input. These findings establish critical process–structure–property relationships essential for advancing precision manufacturing of copper-based optical systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ultra-Precision Micro Cutting and Micro Polishing)
21 pages, 5385 KB  
Article
Research on the Mechanism and Process of Water-Jet-Guided Laser Annular Cutting for Hole Making in Inconel 718
by Qian Liu, Guoyong Zhao, Yugang Zhao, Shuo Yu and Guiguan Zhang
Micromachines 2025, 16(10), 1090; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16101090 - 26 Sep 2025
Abstract
Nickel-based superalloys, serving as the preferred materials for hot-end structural components in aerospace engines, pose considerable challenges for the fabrication of high-quality gas film holes on their surfaces due to their inherent high hardness and strength. Water-jet-guided laser processing technology has exhibited notable [...] Read more.
Nickel-based superalloys, serving as the preferred materials for hot-end structural components in aerospace engines, pose considerable challenges for the fabrication of high-quality gas film holes on their surfaces due to their inherent high hardness and strength. Water-jet-guided laser processing technology has exhibited notable potential in the realm of gas film hole fabrication; however, its engineering application is hindered by the lack of synergy between processing quality and efficiency. To tackle this issue, this study achieves efficient coupling between a 1064 nm high-power laser and a stable water jet, leveraging a multi-focal water–light coupling mode. Furthermore, an “inside-to-outside” multi-pass ring-cutting drilling strategy is introduced, and the controlled variable method is employed to investigate the influence of laser single-pulse energy, scanning speed, and pulse frequency on the surface morphology and geometric accuracy of micro-holes. Building upon this foundation, micro-holes fabricated using optimized process parameters are analyzed and validated using scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopy. The findings reveal that single-pulse energy is a pivotal parameter for achieving micro-hole penetration. By moderately increasing the scanning speed and pulse frequency, melt deposition and thermal accumulation effects can be effectively mitigated, thereby enhancing the surface morphology and machining precision of micro-holes. Specifically, when the single-pulse energy is set at 0.8 mJ, the scanning speed at 25 mm/s, and the pulse frequency at 300 kHz, high-quality micro-holes with an entrance diameter of 820 μm and a taper angle of 0.32° can be fabricated in approximately 60 s. The micro-morphology and element distribution of the micro-holes affirm that water-jet-guided laser processing exhibits exceptional performance in minimizing recast layers, narrowing the heat-affected zone, and preserving the smoothness of the hole wall. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ultra-Precision Micro Cutting and Micro Polishing)
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13 pages, 10178 KB  
Article
Non-Free Cutting Mechanism of Asymmetrical Nanogrooves Under Chip-Removal Interference in Amorphous Nickel Phosphorus
by Yupeng He, Yingzhao Cai, Minkun Huang, Benshuai Ruan, Peng Liu and Tianfeng Zhou
Micromachines 2025, 16(9), 1059; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16091059 - 18 Sep 2025
Viewed by 195
Abstract
Asymmetrical nanogrooves are commonly employed as blazed gratings for precision measurement, optical communication, and optical sensing applications. Diamond cutting is a promising deterministic processing technology for nanogrooves with a triangular cross-section profile. Non-free cutting of nanogrooves makes it hard to suppress the cutting-caused [...] Read more.
Asymmetrical nanogrooves are commonly employed as blazed gratings for precision measurement, optical communication, and optical sensing applications. Diamond cutting is a promising deterministic processing technology for nanogrooves with a triangular cross-section profile. Non-free cutting of nanogrooves makes it hard to suppress the cutting-caused deformation because of the low stiffness of nanogrooves. Focusing on the influence of non-free cutting on the deformation of asymmetrical nanogrooves, this paper systematically investigates the asymmetrical nanogroove cutting in amorphous nickel phosphorous material through mechanism revelation, simulation analysis, and experimental discussion. The materials removal mechanism by two side edges with different slopes in the non-free cutting is revealed according to the shear interference. According to the relative feed direction between tool and workpiece, two types of feed cases in the asymmetrical nanogrooves, named D1 and D2, respectively, are investigated by comparison in terms of deformation mechanism, nanogrooves topography, and nodal stress of tool edges. The extrusion by tool edges and the squeeze by the chip flow mainly influence the deformation of nanogrooves. In the D1 case, the horizontal component of squeeze by the chip flow towards the rear just-fabricated nanogroove, and the severely deformed nanogrooves are stacking together. On the contrary, in the D2 case, the flowing chip squeezes the front uncut materials, relieving the cutting-caused deformation, and asymmetrical nanogrooves have clear V-shaped cross-section profiles. It is proven that the D2 strategy is more suitable for asymmetrical nanogroove machining. The work in this paper will contribute to further understanding of non-free cutting and the processing technology of asymmetrical nanogrooves. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ultra-Precision Micro Cutting and Micro Polishing)
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25 pages, 7101 KB  
Article
Study on the Influence of Ultrafast Laser Welding Parameters on Glass Bonding Performance
by Aowei Xing, Ziwei Li, Tianfeng Zhou, Zhiyuan Huang, Weijia Guo and Peng Liu
Micromachines 2025, 16(8), 888; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16080888 - 30 Jul 2025
Viewed by 779
Abstract
Glass enjoys a wide range of applications thanks to its superior optical properties and chemical stability. Conventional glass bonding techniques suffer from low efficiency, limited precision, and high cost. Moreover, for multilayer glass bonding, repeated alignment is often required, further complicating the process. [...] Read more.
Glass enjoys a wide range of applications thanks to its superior optical properties and chemical stability. Conventional glass bonding techniques suffer from low efficiency, limited precision, and high cost. Moreover, for multilayer glass bonding, repeated alignment is often required, further complicating the process. These limitations have become major constraints on the advancement of microfluidic chip technologies. Laser bonding of microfluidic chips offers high precision and efficiency. This research first uses an ultrafast laser system to investigate how processing parameters affect weld morphology, identifying the optimal parameter range. Then, this paper proposes two methods for ultrafast-laser bonding of multilayer glass with different thicknesses and performs preliminary experiments to demonstrate their feasibility. The research in this paper could expand the fabrication method of microfluidic chips and lay a foundation for the wider application of microfluidic chips. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ultra-Precision Micro Cutting and Micro Polishing)
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