Surface integrity in material removal processes: Recent advances

This paper is a result of a three-year study by the CIRP's Collaborative Working Group on Surface Integrity and Functional Performance of Components, and it reports recent progress in experimental and theoretical investigations on surface integrity in material removal processes. Experimental techniques for measuring various surface integrity parameters are presented. Results from a Round Robin Study on surface integrity parameters such as residual stresses, hardness and roughness in turning, milling, grinding, and EDM, are then presented. Finally, results and analysis of a benchmarking study comparing available predictive models for surface integrity are presented, followed by concluding remarks and future research directions.     

Drill geometry and operating effects when cutting small diameter holes in CFRP

The paper details experimental results when drilling small holes (1.5 mm diameter cemented carbide drills with varying end point and helix geometry) in thin quasi-isotropic, unbacked carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) laminate (typical cutting time 0.4 s/hole). The study utilised an L12 Taguchi fractional factorial orthogonal array with analysis of variance (ANOVA) employed to evaluate the effect of drill geometry and drilling conditions on tool life and hole quality. Main effects plots and percentage contribution ratios (PCR) are detailed in respect of response variables and process control factors. More conventionally, tool wear and cutting force data are plotted/tabulated, together with micrographs of hole entry/exit condition and internal hole damage. Drill geometry and feed rate in general had the most effect on measured outputs. Thrust force was typically below 100 N at test cessation; however, drill wear progression effectively doubled the magnitude of force from test outset. Entry and exit delamination factors (F_d) of 1.3 were achieved while the maximum number of drilled holes for a tool life criterion VB_Bmax of ≤100 μm was 2900 holes using a stepped, uncoated drill with a feed rate of 0.2 mm/rev.     

Use of ceramic tools for machining nickel based alloys

The paper is the first of two dealing with the use of ceramic tool materials for the machining of nickel based alloys. While the second contribution presents the results of detailed machinability tests, involving a cross-section of current nitride, superhard and whisker reinforced ceramic tooling products, this first paper comprehensively reviews existing literature on the subject.

Following an assessment of tool wear characteristics, such as depth-of-cut notching and the underlying mechanisms involved, in particular the effects of applied mechanical stress and high interface temperatures, details are given of the composition, structure, physical properties and cutting performance of various state-of-the-art ceramic tool materials. Although only recently available commercially, whisker reinforced composite tools, comprising an alumina matrix with approximately 25% by volume silicon carbide whiskers, are reported to be capable of operating at cutting speeds up to 750 m/min on some nickel based alloys.     

Fast Hadamard transform capillary electrophoresis for on-line, time-resolved chemical monitoring

We report a new approach for collecting and deconvoluting the data in Hadamard transform capillary electrophoresis, referred to as fast Hadamard transform capillary electrophoresis (fHTCE). Using fHTCE, total analysis times can be reduced by up to 48% per multiplexed separation compared to conventional Hadamard transform capillary electrophoresis (cHTCE) while providing comparable signal-to-noise ratio enhancements. In fHTCE, the sample is injected following a pseudorandom pulsing sequence derived from the first row of a simplex matrix (S-matrix) in contrast to cHTCE, which utilizes a sequence of twice the length. In addition to the temporal savings provided by fHTCE, a 50% reduction in sample consumption is also realized due to the decreased number of sample injections. We have applied fHTCE to the analysis of mixtures of neurotransmitters and related compounds to yield improved signal-to-noise ratios with a total analysis time under 10 s. In addition, we demonstrate the capability of fHTCE to perform time-resolved monitoring of changes in the concentration of model neurochemical compounds.     

The effects of machined workpiece surface integrity on the fatigue life of γ-titanium aluminide

Tension–tension tests on turned, electro-chemical machined (ECM) and electro-discharge textured (EDT) specimens made from Ti–45Al–2Nb–2Mn+0.8 vol% TiB₂ alloy, showed the turned specimens to have a higher fatigue strength 475 MPa. It is likely that this was due to the presence of highly compressive surface residual stresses caused by the turning operation.     

Creep feed grinding of burn-resistant titanium (BuRTi) using superabrasive wheels

Following an introduction on the use of titanium alloys for aeroengine applications, results are presented on the creep feed grinding of a beta titanium alloy Ti-25V-15Cr-2Al-0.2C?wt.% (BuRTi) using vitrified bonded superabrasive wheels in a fractional factorial experimental design. Despite a general perception to the contrary, the range of titanium alloys in use is wide encompassing different alpha/near alpha, alpha/beta and beta designations, each with specific mechanical/physical properties. In terms of aeroengine use, there are seven or eight key alloys (or their equivalent) used globally with the trend for higher operating capability both in relation to temperature and stress level. In the experimental work, grinding forces were significantly lower with diamond; however, wheels employing CBN grits achieved the highest G-ratio (up to ~280) and lowest surface roughness (~0.73???m of Ra). This was accompanied by workpiece smearing and surface burn, which was evident in the majority of tests using CBN. Additionally, workpiece softening was observed within the first 15???m from the machined surface.     

Electrical Discharge Surface Alloying of Ti and Fe Workpiece Materials Using Refractory Powder Compact Electrodes and Cu Wire

The paper reviews the use of metal powders dispersed in the dielectric fluid and refractory PM electrodes, to initiate workpiece surface modification during EDM. Experimental work details the effects of EDM parameters (up to 270 V) on the hardness/composition of the white layer following die sink machining of AISI H13 tool steel and roll texturing of 2% Cr steel using partially sintered PM electrodes. Similar data are presented following EDM scanning and wire cutting of standard TI alloy TI-6AI-4V and a y TIAI. With AISI H13, recast layers were 5-20 μm thick and up to ∼ 1350 HK_0.025. When machining TI-6AI-4V with WC/Co electrodes, recast microhardness was 600-2900 HK_0.025. Wire cutting y TIAI generated porous alloyed layers up to 115 μm thick with extensive cracks and no increase in bulk hardness.     

The effect of machined topography and integrity on fatigue life

The paper reviews published data which address the effect of machining (conventional and non-conventional processes) and the resulting workpiece surface topography/integrity on fatigue performance, for a variety of workpiece materials. The effect of post-machining surface treatments, such as shot peening, are also detailed. The influence of amplitude height parameters (Ra, Rt), amplitude distribution (Rsk) and shape (Rku) parameters, as well as spatial (Std, Sal) and hybrid (Ssc) measures, are considered.There is some disagreement in the literature about the correlation between workpiece surface roughness and fatigue life. In most cases, it has been reported that lower roughness results in longer fatigue life, but that for roughness values in the range 2.5–5 μm Ra it is primarily dependent on workpiece residual stress and surface microstructure, rather than roughness. In the absence of residual stress, machined surface roughness in excess of 0.1 μm Ra has a strong influence on fatigue life. Temperatures above 400 °C reduce the effects of both residual stress and surface roughness on fatigue, due to stress relieving and the change in crack initiation from the surfaces to internal sites. The presence of inclusions an order of magnitude larger than the machined surface roughness generally overrides the effect of surface topography.     

Identification of a leader exon and a core promoter for the rat tuberous sclerosis 2 (Tsc2) gene and structural comparison with the human homolog

Hereditary renal carcinoma in the Eker rat is an excellent example of predisposition to a specific cancer being transmitted as a dominant trait. Recently, we identified a germline mutation of the tuberous sclerosis 2 (Tsc2) gene in the Eker rat. In the present study, we analyzed the upstream region of the Tsc2 gene. A novel leader exon (exon 1a) in a CpG island was found, and core promoter activity was identified in a 242-bp region of this island. Exon 1a and the promoter region were conserved in the human TSC2 gene. In addition, a rat homolog of a gene found upstream of TSC2 in human has been identified, indicating that the genomic organization around Tsc2/TSC2 is conserved between the two species. Characterization of the 5' region of Tsc2 and TSC2 will facilitate studies of the regulation of the gene and its disregulation in tumorigenesis.