Electrochemical polishing (ECP) offers significant advantages in reducing surface roughness of complex additively manufactured (AMed) components. However, conventional one-step ECP methods hinder further removal of near-surface defects, such as inherent adhesive powders and step effects, owing to the simultaneous dissolution and smoothing processes. Additionally, the topological conformity between

A key limitation of electrochemical jet machining (EJM) is its inability to process insulating materials. While electrochemical discharge machining (ECDM) can handle such materials, its contact-based nature often causes thermal damage. Additionally, the challenge of initiating electrochemical discharges on the insulating workpiece, rather than on the tool electrode, remains unresolved. This study presents

This study proposes a novel alloy-strengthening strategy enabled by femtosecond laser shock peening (FLSP), which utilizes ultrahigh peak shock pressures exceeding the intrinsic bond rupture strength of metallic bonds to achieve atomic-level microstructural modification. In contrast to conventional nanosecond laser shock peening (NLSP), FLSP induces a distinct strengthening mechanism through the dynamic

The nickel-based superalloy Inconel 718 is essential in the aerospace and automotive industries due to its exceptional mechanical strength, fatigue resistance, and resistance to corrosion and oxidation. However, machining nickel-based alloys poses significant challenges in ultra-precision grinding (UPG), resulting in excessive grinding wheel vibration and poor surface quality. This study introduces

The fabrication of Ni-based single-crystal (SX) superalloys through laser directed energy deposition (L-DED) is hindered by the high susceptibility of SX structures to hot cracking. Therefore, achieving crack-free SX superalloys during L-DED is crucial for advancing the application of this technology in SX turbine blade repair. Based on solidification shrinkage and solid-bridging theory, this study

The cutting process of thin-walled cylindrical shells involves complex working conditions, and it is difficult to measure the cutting force and vibration displacement at the cutting point in real time. To address this issue, a method is proposed to reconstruct the force and displacement fields of the cylindrical shell in real time using only a single displacement sensor. Based on the first-order shear

The increasing demand for micro-complex and customizable magnesium (Mg) alloy structures presents significant challenges for additive manufacturing (AM), particularly in controlling porosity and achieving high-dimensional accuracy. These challenges arise from bubble entrapment and explosive events caused by intense Mg evaporation. This study, for the first time, elucidates the fundamental mechanism

Laser directed energy deposition (LDED) shows great promise for repairing superalloy components of aeroengines but often results in coarse microstructures, porosity, and tensile residual stresses. Herein, post-process ultrasonic impact treatment (UIT) is adopted to effectively regulate the surface microstructure and residual stresses in LDED-fabricated IN718 superalloys, enhancing the strength-ductility

The detrimental effects of pollutant elements in arc-directed energy deposition (arc-DED), particularly hydrogen-induced porosity in aluminum alloys, pose critical challenges for structural integrity. While pollutant shielding is commonly employed for pore suppression, the risk of hydrogen contamination from repeated remelting of deposited layers remains largely overlooked. This study revealed that

Thin anisotropic crystals (TACs) have potential applications in semiconductors, microelectronics, and aerospace. However, polishing a TAC workpiece with a compliant tool is highly challenging because of its susceptibility to deformation and brittle damage owing to its thin structure. Another significant challenge for polishing is the anisotropic discrepancy, which is highly dependent on the crystal

Defects in metal-forming create numerous bottleneck issues related to product quality, properties and performance, productivity, production cost, and sustainability. Effectively addressing defect issues in the up-front design process via prediction and avoidance of defect formation is the most critical and challenging issue in metal-forming based product development. In this paper, vital insights into

Multi-material wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) presents a promising approach for fabricating high-end equipment components, with cored wire arc additive manufacturing (CWAAM) attracting significant interest. However, uneven particle distribution in CWAAM impedes technological advancement, as the mechanisms of particle flotation and its suppression remain unexplored. To address this issue, a

High material removal rates and performances are required for modern milling operations, which may trigger self-excited chatter vibrations. Such undesired vibrations cause unacceptable machined surface quality and premature deterioration of the cutting tool. After many decades of research and successful industrial solutions to this problem, some unexpected phenomena still arise, which put in doubt

Emerging metal additive manufacturing (AM) technologies that incorporate metal precursors to fabricate both metal and alloy 3D objects has become an attractive method for producing complex metallic objects with microscale features. However, current metal precursor additive manufacturing technologies that operate in a layer-by-layer manner are limited by low solid loading, poor rheological performance

Constraining ring rolling (CRR) is an integral and near net-shape forming approach to fabricate the seamless ring aluminum components in aerospace field. The service property of the formed ring components mainly depends on the microscopical grain texture. However, investigation and modeling of microstructure evolution in this complex hot working processes are not appropriately performed, which hinders

Next-generation semiconductor materials, including diamond, SiC, and GaN, offer significant advantages for high-power devices. However, the high-performance polishing of these ultrahard materials is limited by insufficient grit wear resistance and low-quality material removal with conventional diamond abrasives. In this study, we report robust integration of flexible graphene armor on diamond abrasives

Diamond is an exceptional wide-bandgap semiconductor for electronics and quantum technologies. While femtosecond laser processing enables micro/nano fabrication of diamond, the dynamic atomic-level structural evolution during this process remains poorly understood, despite its critical impact on advanced applications. In this work, we investigate the multi-stage structural evolution of diamond under

Super-resolution laser machining represents a cutting-edge advancement in precision manufacturing, striving to approach or even exceed the optical diffraction limit to produce structures with exceptionally fine feature sizes, minimal heat-affected zones, and intricate freeform patterns. The present paper provides an overview of two principal approaches developed to achieve super-resolution: one is

Accurate measurement of the cutting temperature is essential for monitoring the cutting state and ensuring a reliable cutting process. In ultra-precision machining, directly measuring the temperature in the micro/nano-scale cutting zones poses substantial challenges. In this study, a nitrogen-extracted boron and hydrogen co-doped diamond tool was proposed. By transitioning into a p-type semiconductor

Continuous silicon carbide (SiC) fibre-reinforced titanium (Ti) matrix composites (SiCf/Ti) possess exceptional properties, making them promising for aerospace applications. Continuous SiC fibres significantly enhance the axial tensile strength of SiCf/Ti compared to traditional Ti alloys. To utilise this material fully, its axial dimensions are fixed during manufacturing, but the outer Ti matrix layer

The machining of deep micro-holes in carbon fibre-reinforced polymers (CFRP) components exhibits a significantly increased demand in the industry. However, it is difficult to machine CFRP deep micro-holes using conventional mechanical drilling and non-conventional processes individually because of the anisotropic and inhomogeneous characteristics of CFRP. To address this problem, an electrical discharge-mechanical

Superalloy/copper structures are promising for application in rocket combustion chambers and can integrate the high strength of superalloys and the high thermal conductivity of copper in a single component to improve performance and work efficiency. The natural hierarchical interlocking structure can provide inspiration for the interface design of metallic multimaterial structures to resolve or minimise

Linear friction welding is a solid-state joining technology that bonds materials via friction heating and plastic deformation. This process is being extensively researched for welding metallic sheets with different dimensions; however, it involves difficulties in joining thin cross-sections due to extensive misalignment and unsteady plastic extrusion of softened materials at interfaces. This study

Additive friction stir deposition (AFSD) is a solid-phase forming technology based on microzone forging, which is essentially a force-driven additive manufacturing process. This work focuses on the effects of the AFSD parameters on the force signals and forming quality, which is highly important for optimizing the process parameters and controlling the forming quality. By analyzing the force features

The effect of process damping is an effective means to favorably influence the stability of machining processes. Its occurrence depends on the dynamic contact between the flank face of the tool and the workpiece surface. To specifically investigate the fundamentals of process damping effects in the context of process stabilization, different configurations of modified cutting tools were prepared and

The laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) process utilizing a focused Gaussian-shaped beam faces challenges, including pore formation, melt pool fluctuation and liquid spattering. While beam shaping technology has been explored as a potential approach for defect mitigation, the beam-matter interaction dynamics during melting with shaped beams remain unclear. Here, we report the direct observation of ring-shaped

Laser beam welding has emerged as a powerful tool for manufacturing copper components in electrical vehicles, electronic devices or energy storage, owing to its rapid processing capabilities. Nonetheless, the material’s high thermal conductivity and low absorption of infrared light can introduce process instabilities, resulting in defects such as pores. This study employs a hybrid approach that combines

Single crystal gallium nitride (GaN) substrates are highly demanded for fabricating advanced optoelectronic devices. It is thus essential to develop high efficiency machining technologies for this difficult-to-machine material, which in turn necessitates a thorough understanding of its deformation mechanism. In this study, the deformation and removal characteristics of (0001)-oriented single crystal

Achieving high-strength joints with flat surfaces is of significant importance for reducing wind resistance and enhancing aesthetic appeal. In this study, a novel flat-die friction self-piercing riveting (flat-die F-SPR) process is proposed. The rivet flaring without die guidance was achieved through the sophisticated design of rivet structures. Three types of rivets with different internal structures

Through-mask electrochemical micromachining (TMEMM) is a key method for fabricating metal microstructures. However, the accuracy of TMEMM often falls short of the stringent requirements for many applications, primarily due to the uncontrolled electric field during the machining process. To overcome this limitation, this paper introduces a novel method: induction electrode through-mask electrochemical

Ductile-regime machining has been used to generate damage-free surface of hard and brittle materials by setting the cutting depth to be smaller than the ductile-brittle transition depth (DBTD). However, the ductile-regime cutting of sapphire remains challenging owing to its extreme hardness, small DBTD, serious surface fractures, and severe tool wear. To solve this problem, ion implantation-assisted

Reaction-bonded silicon carbide (RB-SiC) is an important material used in aerospace optical systems. Due to the property mismatch between Si and SiC phases, the underlying cutting mechanism in ultra-precision machining of RB-SiC remains relatively unclear. Recently, laser-assisted machining (LAM) has emerged as an effective technique to improve the machinability of hard and brittle materials, which

Tool condition monitoring (TCM) during mechanical cutting is critical for maximising the utilisation of cutting tools and minimising the risk of equipment damage and personnel injury. The demand for highly efficient and sustainable machining in modern industries has led to the development of new processes operating under specific conditions. Real-world datasets obtained under harsh cutting conditions

In high speed milling, interrupted cutting conditions can lead to period doubling chatter vibrations. While many studies have already confirmed that the use of helical tools can effectively shrink or remove these regions of unstable cutting, none of them has provided clear guidance to select the minimum helix that completely cancels the period doubling lobes. This study addresses this gap by introducing

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technology enables the development of NiTi alloys with complex geometries and tunable phase-transformation temperatures (PTTs). This technology is increasingly acknowledged as promising in the field of elastocaloric (eC) refrigeration. However, the mechanisms governing the manner in which this technology tunes the eC performance remain ambiguous. This study evaluated

Despite the remarkable achievements in single-energy field-assisted diamond cutting technology, its performance remains unsatisfactory for processing high-entropy alloys (HEAs), targeted for next-generation large-scale industrial applications due to their exceptional properties. The challenge lies in overcoming the limitations of current single-energy field-assisted processing to achieve ultra-precision

Bobbin-tool friction stir welding is a variant of friction stir welding with high process flexibility that has garnered considerable attention from the community. The reliability of the weld is sensitive to the macrostructure and texture of the stir zone, which must be carefully tailored. The macrostructure of the stir zone is governed by the refill behaviour of the plasticised metal associated with

Voronoi-based architected metamaterials have gained significant recognition as promising candidates for bone defect repair implants. However, the demanding requirements for reliable and adjustable load-bearing capacity pose challenges in applying irregular Voronoi-based architected metamaterials in implant applications. In this study, we propose a lattice-inspired design methodology for these metamaterials

The complexity of the interaction between the workpiece and abrasives, the characterisation difficulty of the strain-rate effect, and the analytical difficulty of brittle-ductile coexistence removal pose significant challenges in surface micro-morphology modelling of brittle-solid grinding. To overcome these bottlenecks, a theoretical model of the normal scratching force driven by the strain-rate effect

Laser shock peening, an advanced technology for severe surface plasticity peening, encounters challenges such as shallow hardened layers and surface spalling when dealing with difficult-to-machine materials. In this study, we introduced a high-frequency electropulsing-assisted laser shock peening (HFEP-LSP) technique that coupled laser shock peening with high-frequency electric pulses to achieve a

The measurement of five degrees-of-freedom (5-DOF) error motions, including radial, axial, and tilt motions, is crucial for ultra-precision rotary axes, which are key components of ultra-precision machine tools and instrumentation. In this study, we propose an interference-enhanced micro-vision technique to concurrently derive the 5-DOF error motions from a single-shot two-dimensional image, which