A review on the intensification of metal matrix composites and its nonconventional machining

Abstract Metal matrix composites (MMCs) are the new-generation advanced materials that have excellent mechanical properties, such as high specific strength, strong hardness, and strong resistance to wear and corrosion. All these qualities make MMCs suitable material in the manufacture of automobiles and aircraft. The machining of these materials is still difficult due to the abrasive nature of the reinforced particles and hardness of MMCs. The conventional machining of MMCs results in high tool wear and slow removal of materials, thereby increasing the overall machining cost. The nonconventional machining of these materials, on the contrary, ensures much better performance. This paper reviews various research works on the development of MMCs and the subsequent hybrid composites and evaluates their performances. Further, it discusses the influence of the process parameters of conventional and nonconventional machining on the performance of MMCs. At the end, it identifies the research gaps and future scopes for further investigations in this field.