Adaptive vibration amplitude for impact grinding of ceramic matrix composite components

A method of machining ceramic matrix composite components comprising:

• providing an ultrasonic vibration tool having a tool tip, and exciting the tool by providing a control current, such that the tool tip is repeatedly vibrated towards and away from a ceramic matrix composite workpiece;
• supplying a slurry feed including abrasive particles to a surface to be machined by the tool tip, and controlling a vibration amplitude of the tool tip by sensing load on the tool and communicating with a computing device, said computing device controlling the vibration amplitude of the tool tip;
• said computing device provided with at least one memory programmed with historic data, wherein the historic data comprises tool geometries and material properties of the ceramic matrix composite workpiece including areas with fabric tows, areas with matrix, and areas of porosity;
• comparing resulting load levels due to a change in vibration amplitudes;
• storing said change in vibration amplitudes at said memory;
• and
• modifying the vibration amplitude dependent upon the historic data and what particular area is being machined by the tool tip such that larger vibration amplitudes are utilized at areas with fabric tows, and smaller vibration amplitudes are utilized at areas with matrix or porosity.