Machining Parameter Optimization in High-Speed Milling for Inconel 718 Curved Surface

Machining technology for nickel-based alloy Inconel 718 is a hotspot and difficult problem in industrial fields and the high-speed milling (HSM) shows obvious superiority in difficult-to-process material machining. As the machining parameters are crucial in processing of Inconel 718 and the study of chip is important in metal cutting, there is an urgent need for deep research into the machining parameter optimization based on chip variation in HSM for Inconel 718 curved surface, so as to further increase the productivity of Inconel 718 in aerospace field. Regarding Inconel 718 curved surface, an experimental study about the machining parameter optimization based on chip variation in HSM is conducted. The relationship between chip shape and machining parameters is studied, and the roughness is measured and discussed for the machined curved surface. Results indicate that the chip area relates to geometric feature of curved surface, the optimal range for spindle speed is from 9000 to 11000 rpm based on chip variation, the feed per tooth should be large in case that condition permitted, and the cutting depth can be selected according to other constraint conditions. This study is significant for improving the machining quality and efficiency of Inconel 718 curved surface.     

An investigation on the optimum machinability of NiTi based shape memory alloy

In the present work, the machinability of nickel–titanium (Nitinol) shape memory alloy has been discussed. Nitinol is known as a difficult-to-machine alloy due to its high hardness, which requires a large amount of cutting force, resulting in high rate of tool wearing. Therefore, researchers have made an effort to ameliorate the machinability of this material to achieve a finer surface quality. The previous studies found that the cutting speed will remarkably influence the surface properties of machined nickel–titanium alloy in turning process. Tool wear and cutting force are at minimum values in a particular range of cutting speeds so that it leads to diminishing machining barriers such as burr formation and chip-breaking. Lower cutting force and consequently lower temperature and stresses in the machining process improve the mechanical properties as well as reducing hardness, distortion, and residual stress. The machining process was optimized by applying a numerical approach through ANSYS/LS-DYNA R15 software. The obtained results demonstrated the optimum cutting speed in the machining process, which are in good agreement with experiments.     

Improvement of Machinability using Laser-Aided Hybrid Machining for Inconel 718 Alloy

Hybrid machining is an emerging technique for difficult-to-cut materials to overcome the problems associated with conventional machining (CM). Inconel 718, a super alloy of nickel, is a high-temperature alloy commonly used in aircraft and thermal industries and categorized as one among the difficult-to-cut materials. In this study, the influence of cutting conditions of Inconel 718 alloy during laser-assisted hybrid machining (LAHM) is investigated and the results are compared with CM. During LAHM, the process parameters of cutting speed, feed rate, approach angle, and laser power are varied. The present work is carried out in two phases: (i) determination of effective heat-affected depth (HAD) during laser preheating (using central composite design (CCD) in response surface methodology); (ii) optimization of cutting conditions during machining (using Taguchi's method). Compared with CM, the LAHM shows the following reduction benefits: (i) 33% in feed force (Fx), 42% in thrust force (Fy), and 28% in cutting force; (ii) improved surface finish (surface roughness, Ra) of 28%; and (iii) reduction in tool wear by 50%. The chip morphology reveals the decrease in shear angle and increase in chip thickness during LAHM. No change in the hardness value of the machined surface after LAHM indicates the absence of subsurface damage.     

Effects of Filler Concentration and Cutting Parameters on Material Properties and Machinability of SiC-Filled Epoxy Tooling Board

An experimental study was conducted to examine the material properties and machinability of a silicon carbide (SiC)-filled epoxy conductive tooling system (RP4037 CAST-IT^TM). Specifically, the effects of SiC filler concentration and machining process parameters (cutting speed and feed) on the physical and material properties, resultant cutting force, surface integrity, and tool wear were studied. Machinability evaluation was carried out using the end milling process. The study showed that an increase in filler concentration significantly increased the density, thermal conductivity, resultant machining forces, surface roughness of the machined surface, and tool wear. However, it had insignificant impact on the glass transition temperature, strength, or hardness. A decrease in material strength was observed with increasing cutting speed and feed. Increasing filler concentration was also found to degrade the machined surface morphology. Possible explanations for the observed effects are discussed.     

CRYOGENIC MACHINING OF KEVLAR COMPOSITES

Previous attempts to machine Kevlar aramid fibre reinforced plastics (KFRP) with conventional cutting tools have proven to be extremely difficult. This has somewhat restricted the material's usage, often negating the advantages of its high strength to weight ratio and fatigue tolerance. The present paper describes a novel technique of machining KFRP under cryogenic conditions with remarkable results compared to those obtained at ambient temperatures. The investigation carried out with turning operation shows dramatic improvement of the tool performance and surface quality. The effects of various machining parameters such as workpiece temperature, cutting speed and tool geometry on the machinability of KFRP are presented and analyzed. It appears that care is necessary to judge the tool life as the typical tool wear growth and surface finish or cutting force may produce contradictory results. It is also suggested that, for KFRP, surface finish of the machined workpiece is a very good criterion to determine the tool life. To aid the understanding of the machining mechanics, a microscopic investigation of the cutting zone while actually machining a testpiece at ambient and cryogenic temperatures is also reported.     

Study of deformation zone effects of low,conventional, high and very high speed machining

The paper deals with cutting speed in range 3 m?min^‐1 up to 2200 m?min^‐1 and its complex impact mainly on chip macroscopic shape, chip microstructure, chip compression, tool wear, tool life and machined surface quality and interprets and compares the effects regarding low, conventional, high and very high speed machining based on the dry turning of carbon steel by sintered carbide coated by titanium nitride and ceramic cutting inserts. The deformation zone response for different cutting speeds at the tool‐chip‐workpiece interfaces and their effect on tool wear were studied. The extensive (so called complete) experiments within wide range of values and large number of measurements were carried out. The formation of secondary chip occurring in high speed turning is reported. Moreover, the paper analyses the total machining time involving tool replacement time in terms of high speed machining regarding the obtained experimental results.     

The influence of cutting force on surface machining quality

Appropriately controlled cutting forces can contribute not only to the safety and efficiency of machining but also to the quality of machined surfaces. It is even more important when hardened material is cut. The correlation between the cutting force and the surface quality in ball-end milling operations has been investigated by machining P20 steel (HRC 30) work-pieces using solid carbide ball-end cutters. Plane surfaces with different depth of cut were machined using two different cutting strategies. The first strategy cut the test-piece using a cutting force model, whereas the other machined with a feed rate optimization product, which uses the removal rate as an analogue of cutting force to control the feed rate. The test results show that constant surface quality is possible when the cutting forces are controlled through feed rate adjustment. Conversely, a desired surface quality can also be maintained by controlling the cutting force in a predetermined manner.     

An Investigation of Machining-Induced Residual Stresses and Microstructure of Induction-Hardened AISI 4340 Steel

Excessive induction hardening treatment may result in deep-hardened layers, combined with tensile or low compressive residual stresses. This can be detrimental to the performance of mechanical parts. However, a judicious selection of the finishing process that possibly follows the surface treatment may overcome this inconvenience. In this paper, hard machining tests were performed to investigate the residual stresses and microstructure alteration induced by the machining of induction heat-treated AISI 4340 steel (58–60 HRC). The authors demonstrate the capacity of the machining process to enhance the surface integrity of induction heat-treated parts. It is shown how cutting conditions can affect the residual stress distribution and surface microstructure. On the one hand, when the cutting speed increases, the residual stresses tend to become tensile at the surface; and on the other hand, more compressive stresses are induced when the feed rate is increased. A microstructural analysis shows the formation of a thin white layer less than 2 µm and severe plastic deformations beneath the machined surface.     

Broaching Performance of Superalloy GH4169 Based on FEM

The nickel-based superalloy GH4169 is an important material for high temperature applications in the aerospace industry. However, due to its poor machinability, GH4169 is hard to be cut and generates saw-tooth chips during high speed machining, which could significantly affect the dynamic cutting force, cutting temperature fluctuation, tool life, and the surface integrity of the parts. In this paper, the saw-tooth chip formation mechanism of superalloy GH4169 was investigated by the elasto-viscoplastic finite element method (FEM). Using the finite element software of ABAQUS/Explicit, the deformation of the part during high speed machining was simulated. The effective plastic strain, the temperature field, the stress distribution, and the cutting force were analyzed to determine the influence of the cutting parameters on the saw-tooth chip formation. The study on broaching performance has great effect on selecting suitable machining parameters and improving tool life.     

On Applicability of Multilayer Coated Tool in Dry Machining of Aerospace Grade Stainless Steel

The present research work has been undertaken with a view to investigate the influence of CVD multilayer coated (TiN/TiCN/Al₂O₃/ZrCN) and cutting speed on various machining characteristics such as chip morphology, tool wear, cutting temperature, and machined surface roughness during dry turning of 17-4 PH stainless steel. In order to understand the effectiveness of CVD multilayer coated tool a comparison has been carried out with that of uncoated carbide insert. The surface roughness and cutting temperature obtained during machining with chemical vapor deposition (CVD) multilayer coated tool was higher than that of uncoated carbide insert at all cutting velocity. However, the results clearly indicated that CVD multilayer coated tool played a significant role in restricting various modes of tool failure and reducing chip deformation compared to its uncoated counterpart. Adhesion and abrasion were found to be dominating wear mechanism with flank wear, plastic deformation, and catastrophic failure being major tool wear modes.     

Influence of heat treatment and cutting speed on chip segmentation of age hardenable aluminium alloy

Abstract

A change in chip shape has been observed as a function of age hardening and cutting speed during high speed milling of the aluminium alloy 7075. In order to study this effect systematically, the aluminium alloy was heat treated to produce different precipitation states and machined under carefully controlled conditions at cutting speeds between 1000 and 7000 m min^-1. The underaged state shows local shearing producing segmented chips. The degree of segmentation increases with cutting speed. In contrast, the overaged state shows continuous chips up to the highest cutting speeds. The chips obtained with the peak aged state show a fluctuation between segmented and continuous parts. These results can be understood in terms of the differing work softening/hardening behaviour of the under- and overaged states owing to the specific interactions between dislocations and precipitates during chip formation.     

Optimization for Turning of Al-6061-SiC-Gr Hybrid Nanocomposites Using Response Surface Methodologies

Metal matrix composites have cemented their applicability in industrial sector by virtue of their excellent mechanical properties. However, work has largely been done on the studies related to macro/microsize particles. This work has been aimed to evaluate the influence of input parameters in turning of Al-6061-SiC-Gr hybrid nanocomposites. This article evaluates the effect of process parameters on the cutting force and average roughness of the machined surface in turning of Al-6061-SiC-Gr nanocomposites. The experiments were designed using CCD, and cutting force and roughness were evaluated using response surface methodology. Statistical models were generated. The results of the study indicated that feed rate and depth of cut are the major influencing factors in descending order for the cutting force. The analysis of surface roughness revealed that both these factors are having identical effect. The cutting speed had little effect on cutting force and an improvement is seen in surface finish. The experiments also revealed that tool wear is negligible for nanocomposites. The software-predicted values and the experimentally obtained values of the responses were acceptably close to each other with an error percentage of less than 5%. Using response surface optimization, optimal combinations of machining parameters are also obtained.     

Machining and surface integrity of fibre-reinforced plastic composites

The current focus of manufacturing research on fibre-reinforced plastics (FRP) is composed of the search for efficient processing techniques capable of providing high quality machined surfaces. Very limited work has been performed to identify the influence of manufacturing processes like edge-trimming and drilling on material performance. Recent reports suggest that process-induced damage may affect the mechanical behaviour of FRP materials. Therefore an experimental study of orthogonal cutting was conducted on the edge trimming of unidirectional and multi-directional graphite/epoxy composites with polycrystalline diamond tools. The effects of tool geometry and operating conditions were evaluated from an analysis of chip formation, cutting force, and machined surface topography. All aspects of material removal were found to be primarily dependent on fibre orientation. Discontinuous chip formation was noted throughout this study, regardless of machining parameters. Three distinct mechanisms in the edge trimming of fibre-reinforced composite material including a combination of cutting, shearing, and fracture along the fibre/matrix interface were observed. An investigation conducted on the compression, flexural and impact strength of graphite/epoxy composites machined by both traditional and non-traditional techniques, confirms that manufacturing characteristics may not only affect bulk properties but also influence the initiation and propagation of failure.     

Design,evaluation and optimisation of cutter path strategies when high speed machining hardened mould and die materials

The use of high speed milling (HSM) for the production of moulds and dies is becoming more widespread. Critical aspects of the technology include cutting tools, machinability data, cutter path generation and technology. Much published information exists on cutting tools and related data (cutting speeds, feed rates, depths of cut, etc.). However, relatively little information has been published on the optimisation of cutter paths for this application. Most of the research work is mainly focused on cutter path generation with the main aim on reducing production time. Work with regards to cutter path evaluation and optimisation on tool wear, tool life, surface integrity and relevant workpiece machinability characteristics are scant. Therefore, a detailed knowledge on the evaluation of cutter path when high speed rough and finish milling is essential in order to improve productivity and surface quality. The paper details techniques used to reduce machining times and improve workpiece surface roughness/accuracy when HSM hardened mould and die materials. Optimisation routines are considered for the roughing and finishing of cavities. The effects of machining parameters notably feed rate adaptation techniques and cutting tools are presented.     

Experimental Study on Hybrid Cryogenic and Plasma-Enhanced Turning of 17-4PH Stainless Steel

This article presents machinability of 17-4PH stainless steel using a hybrid technique composed of plasma-enhanced turning and cryogenic turning. First of all, using some primary experimental tests and nonlinear regression, a mathematical model was developed for surface temperature of uncut chip as a function of plasma current and cutting parameters. Then, the influence of cutting speed (V_c), feed (f), and surface temperature of uncut chip (T_sm) was studied on surface roughness (R_a), cutting force (F_z), and tool flank wear (V_B). The results show that hybrid turning (HYT) is able to lower the main cutting force and tool flank wear in comparison with conventional turning. In addition, surface roughness was improved except for high level of surface temperature of uncut chip. However, hardness measurement of machined workpiece showed that HYT does not change the hardness of machined surface.     

Surface damage in machining red brass

The effect of cutting speed, tool rake angle, and wearland length on the nature of the surface generated in machining annealed red brass under unlubricated and lubricated conditions is studied. The machined surfaces are examined using optical and scanning electron microscopy. The machined surfaces were observed to have defects such as microcracks and macrocracks perpendicular to the direction of relative work-tool motion, cavities and plastically deformed regions. The surface damage decreases with an increase in the cutting speed and/or the positive tool rake angle. The presence of lubricant in the cutting region results in a surface of high quality.     

Residual surface stress: comparing traditional and modulated tool path machining processes

Traditional machining processes, where material is removed by a cutting tool from a workpiece, can introduce residual stresses at the surface of machined pieces. This paper provides an examination of an alternative machining methodology called modulated tool path machining. The ultimate objective of this research is to determine the effects of modulated tooling path machining processes, as applied to control chip geometry, on the surface stress of selected materials. Residual stresses in machined samples were characterised through the use of X-ray diffraction by comparing the modulated path method with a more traditional material removal technique (i.e. constant surface speed and constant contact).

This paper is part of a Themed Issue on Measurement, modelling and mitigation of residual stress.     

High-speed turning experiments on metal matrix composites

The hard abrasive ceramic component which increases the mechanical characteristics of metal matrix composites (MMC) causes quick wear and premature tool failure in the machining operations. The aim of the paper is to compare the behaviour of high rake angle carbide tools with their diamond coated versions in high-speed machining of an Al₂O₃Al 6061 MMC. The influence of the cutting parameters, in particular cutting feed and speed, on tool wear and surface finish has been investigated. The higher abrasion resistance of the coatings results in increased tool life performances and different chip formation mechanisms.     

Cutting tool holding device with controlled oscillation without external energy source and experimental analysis of its advantages when turning

This paper presents the design of a cutting tool‐holding device with controlled oscillations without an external energy source based on a varying machining force, and an experimental analysis involving the influence on the chip shape, tool‐wear, chip volume coefficient, and surface roughness. The design of the cutting tool‐holding device is based on reducing the dynamic stiffness by allowing one degree of freedom of the cutting tool, either translationally or rotationally. This paper analyses the advantages of such a design, and provides experimental measurement results presenting the advantages of the concept of a partially movable tool holder without an external energy source for application in other machining operations.     

Spanende Bearbeitung von Hartlegierungen – Drehen und Schleifen. Teil II: Drehen von Hartlegierungen

Metal Cutting of Hard Alloys – Turning and Grinding. Part II: Turning of Hard Alloys Turning tests were carried out on selected hard alloys on iron (FeCr12C2.1, FeCr13Nb9MoTiC2.3, FeCr14Mo5WVC4.2) and cobalt basis (CoCr29W5C1.3) in a cutting speed range of between v_c = m/min and 180 m/min. Polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) turned out to be a suitable tool material. Subsequent examinations focused on evaluating the mechanisms of chip formation, cutting tool wear and surface integrity of the workpiece. During turning of hard alloys the formation of chips is primarily influenced by the ductility and fracture toughness of the work material. While a ductile matrix enables the formation of highly deformable chips, the chips stemming from martensitically hardened alloys show low deformation. As the cutting depth increases shear and segmented chips are chiefly produced. Type and arrangement of the hard phases play a significant role. Adhesion is the main wear mechanism impacting the cutting face of the tool. Particularly, strong adhesion effects will arise during the machining of the work hardening alloy on cobalt basis. A high cobalt content of the metallic bonding phase of the PCBN cutting tool appears to be a disadvantage with this type of work material. When machining alloys on iron basis adhesion is promoted by the mechanical linking of alloy-specific hard phases to the cutting material binder. Abrasion primarily acts on the flank. The hard carbides of the work material produce typical grooves in the cutting edge zone of the tool. The flank wear increases as the carbide content goes up. As the cutting speed rises the tool wear ascertained passes through a minimum. Whereas the formation of built-up cutting edges predominates at lower speeds, a thermal softening of the PCBN binder takes place and is dominating at high cutting speeds. The location of the wear minimum depends not only on the cutting temperature but also on the strain hardening capability of the metal matrix. Raising the cutting speed will cause the cutting force to continuously reduce. The highest cutting forces are found for the Co-based alloy. The passive forces develop in line with cutting tool wear and vary with content and hardness of the hard phases involved. The selected process parameters also affect the surface near zone. With low cutting speeds and process temperatures the surface is mainly stressed mechanically. Carbides break or detach from the surrounding matrix. If the cutting speed and process temperature are increased the eutectic carbides (M₇C₃) are deformed together with the metal matrix. Microhardness profiles are indicative of near-surface strain-hardened zones after cutting of the Co-based alloy. Fe-based matrices do not show hardness changes worth mentioning. Although there are no new hardened zones noticeable even at maximum cutting speed, the matrix is nevertheless influenced thermally so that residual stresses will develop in the machined surface layer. In the lower cutting speed range the surface quality is characterized by flakes and material squeezing (Co-based alloy) and by spalling (Fe-based alloy). Only if the cutting speed is raised, a minor roughness is detected due to a potential deformation of eutectic hard phases.