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Wire electrochemical micromachining (WECMM) technology is regarded a promising method to fabricate high aspect ratio microstructures on hard-to-machining materials, however, the by-product accumulation in the machining gap limits its application. In this paper, a new method called ultrasonic-assisted wire electrochemical micromachining (UA-WECMM) is proposed to improve the machining performance of WECMM. Firstly, a flow-field simulation in the machining gap was carried out, the results showed that the ultrasonic vibration of electrode can remarkably enhance the mass transport in the machining gap and improve the machining condition. Secondly, experiments were performed to confirm the effect of ultrasonic vibration, which illustrated that the vibration with proper amplitude can reduce the slit width and improve the morphology of machined surface. Moreover, the influence of other machining parameters were also discussed. Finally, a T-type micro connector with good surface roughness (Ra 0.286 &mu, m) was fabricated on a 300-&mu, m-thick 304 stainless steel workpiece and a micro gear (diameter: 3.362 mm, Ra: 0.271 &mu, m) with an aspect ratio of 7 was fabricated on a 2-mm-thick workpiece. It is proved that the proposed ultrasonic-assisted wire electrochemical micromachining method has considerable potential and broad application prospects.

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) material has attracted attentions and studies in the medical field due to its excellent properties suitable for orthopedic, dental, and implant applications. In order to acquire the needed geometrical accuracy and surface finish for individual customizations of components made of PEEK material, milling process basics for PEEK material have been studied in this paper. The influences of milling parameters on milling forces and surface roughness are discussed based on single-factor and orthogonal milling experiments. It shows that the effects of cutting parameters on cutting forces are basically in accordance with that in the classical metal cutting theory. But the effects of cutting parameters on the surface roughness are different. Also the significance sequences of the key milling parameters on milling forces and surface roughness are identified. Furthermore, a finite element simulation model to estimate the milling force is established and successfully evaluated for customized applications.