Compound fabrication process and apparatus

Abstract

A miniature machine tool for micro-machining is capable of performing on a workpiece at least one conventional mechanical machining operation and another micro-machining operation such as electrochemical machining (ECM), electro deposit machining (EDM), micro-milling or micro-turning or micro-drilling. The machine tool includes a holder in which the workpiece is clamped during all successive machining operations so that the machining operations may be performed in succession without intervening reclamping of the workpiece. This increases dimensional accuracy when micro-machining high-precision components.