Development of an ultrasonic elliptical vibration chiseling device with trajectory self-sensing capability

•A novel UEV device with self-sensing capabilities was developed.•Relationships among various input/output signals were investigated.•The data-deiven trajectory-sensing model was proposed and verified.•Copper microribs were efficiently fabricated using the UEV-chiseling process.•Monitoring experiments under different load conditions were conducted. Ultrasonic elliptical vibration chiseling (UEV-chiseling) is a promising process for creating metallic microribs, but current devices struggle to meet the demands of trajectory. Therefore, a novel double-excitation ultrasonic device with trajectory self-sensing capability is developed. Two piezoelectric (PZT) sandwiched transducers are orthogonally coupled, while two PZT plates are incorporated into the transducers as sensors. A data-driven trajectory-sensing model is proposed to establish the relationship between sensor signals and trajectory. Based on this model, the PZT sensors could accurately measure the trajectory. Then, the UEV device is mounted on a turntable to achieve an inclined elliptical trajectory. Finally, a surface texturing test using the turnable UEV device successfully fabricated copper microribs at a rate of 24,000 per second. During texturing, the trajectory is monitored in real-time using the PZT sensors, and remains stable. These outcomes confirm the feasibility of applying the developed device in UEV-chiseling for efficient and precise surface texturing.