Showing papers on "Machining published in 2005"

Key improvements in the machining of difficult-to-cut aerospace superalloys

Abstract: Significant advances have been made in understanding the behaviour of engineering materials when machining at higher cutting conditions from practical and theoretical standpoints. This approach has enabled the aerospace industry to cope with constant introduction of new materials that allow the engine temperature to increase at a rate of 10 °C per annum since the 1950s. Improvements achieved from research and development activities in this area have particularly enhanced the machining of difficult-to-cut nickel base and titanium alloys that have traditionally exhibited low machinability due to their peculiar characteristics such as poor thermal conductivity, high strength at elevated temperature, resistance to wear and chemical degradation, etc. A good understanding of the cutting tool materials, cutting conditions, processing time and functionality of the machined component will lead to efficient and economic machining of nickel and titanium base superalloys. This paper presents an overview of major advances in machining techniques that have resulted to step increase in productivity, hence lower manufacturing cost, without adverse effect on the surface finish, surface integrity, circularity and hardness variation of the machined component.

Predictive modeling of surface roughness and tool wear in hard turning using regression and neural networks

Abstract: In machining of parts, surface quality is one of the most specified customer requirements. Major indication of surface quality on machined parts is surface roughness. Finish hard turning using Cubic Boron Nitride (CBN) tools allows manufacturers to simplify their processes and still achieve the desired surface roughness. There are various machining parameters have an effect on the surface roughness, but those effects have not been adequately quantified. In order for manufacturers to maximize their gains from utilizing finish hard turning, accurate predictive models for surface roughness and tool wear must be constructed. This paper utilizes neural network modeling to predict surface roughness and tool flank wear over the machining time for variety of cutting conditions in finish hard turning. Regression models are also developed in order to capture process specific parameters. A set of sparse experimental data for finish turning of hardened AISI 52100 steel obtained from literature and the experimental data obtained from performed experiments in finish turning of hardened AISI H-13 steel have been utilized. The data sets from measured surface roughness and tool flank wear were employed to train the neural network models. Trained neural network models were used in predicting surface roughness and tool flank wear for other cutting conditions. A comparison of neural network models with regression models is also carried out. Predictive neural network models are found to be capable of better predictions for surface roughness and tool flank wear within the range that they had been trained. Predictive neural network modeling is also extended to predict tool wear and surface roughness patterns seen in finish hard turning processes. Decrease in the feed rate resulted in better surface roughness but slightly faster tool wear development, and increasing cutting speed resulted in significant increase in tool wear development but resulted in better surface roughness. Increase in the workpiece hardness resulted in better surface roughness but higher tool wear. Overall, CBN inserts with honed edge geometry performed better both in terms of surface roughness and tool wear development. q 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Laser Processing of Engineering Materials: Principles, Procedure and Industrial Application

Abstract: Introduction Evolution of Laser Material Processing Lasers Systems for Material Processing Engineering Materials Laser Processing Diagrams Athermal Processing Structural Change Surface Hardening Deformation and Fracture Surface Melting Cladding Conduction Joining Cutting Marking Keyhole Welding Thermal Machining Opportunities Glossary Appendices

Machining of non-conducting materials using electrochemical discharge phenomenon – An overview

Abstract: Machining with electrochemical discharges is an unconventional technology able to machine several electrically non-conductive materials like glass or some ceramics. After almost 40 years of its first mention in literature, this technology remains an academic application and was never applied in industrial context. The knowledge about machining of non-conducting materials using electrochemical discharge phenomenon is reviewed up to this date with some particular attention to the electrochemical point of view. Some main limiting factors are highlighted and possible solutions are discussed.

Rotary ultrasonic machining of ceramic matrix composites: feasibility study and designed experiments

Abstract: Ceramic matrix composites (CMC) are enabling materials for a number of high-temperature and demanding applications in aerospace, power generation, ground transportation, nuclear, environmental, and chemical industries. Tremendous progress has been made in technology development, manufacturing, commercialization, and applications of CMC over the last few years. However, significant challenges (such as the lack of specifications, databases, and in-service repair methodology, and high machining cost) still remain for their widespread applications. In this paper, rotary ultrasonic machining (RUM) is introduced into drilling holes on CMC panels for the first time. The feasibility to machine CMC using RUM is investigated. Cutting forces and material removal rates (MRR) are compared for machining of CMC with and without ultrasonic vibration and for two types of CMC materials and one typical advanced ceramic material (alumina). Chippings at the hole exit are also observed under a microscope. Furthermore, the paper presents the results of a designed experimental investigation into RUM of CMC. A three-variable two-level full factorial design is employed to reveal main effects as well as interaction effects of three RUM process parameters (spindle speed, feedrate, and ultrasonic power). The process outputs studied include cutting force, MRR, and hole quality (in terms of chipping dimensions).

Evaluation of the performance of CBN tools when turning Ti-6Al-4V alloy with high pressure coolant supplies

Abstract: Cubic Nitride Boron (CBN) tools are generally used for machining harder alloys such as hardened high Cr steels, titanium and nickel alloys. The tools are expected to withstand the heat and pressure developed when machining at higher cutting conditions because of their high hardness and melting point. This paper evaluates the performance of different CBN tool grades in finish turning Ti–6Al–4V (IMI 318) alloy at high cutting conditions, up to 250 m min−1, with various coolant supplies. Tool wear, failure modes, cutting and feed forces and surface roughness of machined surfaces were monitored and used to access the performance of the cutting tools. Comparative trials were carried out with uncoated carbide tools when machining at a speed of 150 m min−1. Test results show that the performance of CBN tools, in terms of tool life, at the cutting conditions investigated is poor relative to uncoated carbide tools, as expected and often, reported due probably to rapid notching and excessive chipping of the cutting edge associated with a relatively high diffusion wear rate that tends to weaken the bond strength of the tool substrate. An increase in the CBN content of the cutting tool also led to a reduction in tool life when machining at the cutting conditions investigated.

Stability limits of milling considering the flexibility of the workpiece and the machine

Abstract: High speed machining of low rigidity structures is a widely used process in the aeronautical industry. Along the machining of this type of structures, the so-called monolithic components, large quantities of material are removed using high removal rate conditions, with the risk of the instability of the process. Very thin walls will also be milled, with the possibility of lateral vibration of them in some cutting conditions and at some stages of machining. Chatter is an undesirable phenomenon in all machining processes, causing a reduction in productivity, low quality of the finished workpieces, and a reduction of the machine-spindle's working life. In this study, a method for obtaining the instability or stability lobes, applicable when both the machine structure and the machined workpiece have similar dynamic behaviours, is presented. Thus, a 3-dimensional lobe diagram has been developed based on the relative movement of both systems, to cover all the intermediate stages of the machining of the walls. This diagram is different and more exact than the one that arises out of the mere superposition of the machine and the workpiece lobe diagrams. A previous step of rejecting resonance modes that are not involved in the milling at the bottom zones of the thin walls must be previously performed. Finally, the proposed method has been validated, by machining a series of thin walls, applying cutting conditions contrasted with the limits previously obtained in the three-dimensional lobe diagram.

Micro electrochemical milling

Abstract: In this paper, electrochemical machining (ECM) for fabricating micro structures is presented. By applying ultra short pulses, dissolution of a workpiece can be restricted to the region very close to an electrode. Using this method, 3D micro structures were machined on stainless steel. Good surface quality of the structures was obtained in the low concentration electrolyte, 0.1 M H2SO4. In ECM, when the machining depth increases, structures taper. To reduce the taper, a disc-type electrode is introduced. By electrochemical milling, various 3D micro structures including a hemisphere with 60 µm diameter were fabricated.

Analysis of white layers formed in hard turning of AISI 52100 steel

Abstract: The formation mechanisms and properties of white layers produced in machining of hardened steels are not clearly understood to date. In particular, detailed analysis of their structure and mechanical properties is lacking. This paper investigates the differences in structure and properties of white layers formed during machining of hardened AISI 52100 steel (62 HRC) at different cutting speeds. A combination of experimental techniques including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and nano-indentation are used to analyze the white layers formed. TEM results suggest that white layers produced at low-to-moderate cutting speeds are in large part due to grain refinement induced by severe plastic deformation, whereas white layer formation at high cutting speeds is mainly due to thermally-driven phase transformation. The white layers at all speeds are found to be comprised of very fine (nano-scale) grains compared to the bulk material. XRD-based residual stress and retained austenite measurements, and hardness data support these findings.

The effect in EDM of a dielectric of a urea solution in water on modifying the surface of titanium

Abstract: This study investigates the influence of the machining characteristics on pure titanium metals using an electrical discharge machining (EDM) with the addition of urea into distilled water. Additionally, the effects of urea addition on surface modification are also discussed. In the experiments, machining parameters such as the dielectric type, peak current and pulse duration were changed to explore their effects on machining performance, including the material removal rate, electrode wear rate and surface roughness. Moreover, the elemental distribution of nitrogen on the machined surface was qualitatively determined by EPMA to assess the effects on surface modification. Micro hardness and wear resistance tests were performed to evaluate the effects of the reinforced surface. Experimental results indicate that the nitrogen element decomposed from the dielectric that contained urea, migrated to the work piece, forming a TiN hard layer, resulting in good wear resistance of the machined surface after EDM.

Modelling and experimental investigation on nanometric cutting of monocrystalline silicon

Abstract: A new model to understand the behaviour of how materials are removed from workpiece in nano cutting is proposed. This model postulates that the mechanism of nanometric scale material removal is based on extrusion, which is different from the shearing mechanism in conventional cutting. It also explains why brittle materials are removed in ductile mode. Analytical results from molecular dynamics and nano indentation show good agreement with the proposed modelling. Experiments are conducted to verify the new model for nanometric cutting of monocrystalline silicon. The theoretical modelling and experimental verification present a good understanding of nano-scale material removal and provide an approach to fundamentally control the machining performance.

The effect on fatigue life of residual stress and surface hardness resulting from different cutting conditions of 0.45%C steel

Abstract: The affected layer is generated within the machined surface layer through the cutting process. Cutting conditions such as the nose radius of the tool, feed rate and shape of cutting edge at the finishing operation affect the residual stress, surface hardness, and surface roughness. In this paper, it is shown that such machined surface property could be controlled by the setting of the cutting conditions to some extent. Then the effect of the machining conditions on the fatigue life was investigated through a fatigue test using the specimen finished under various cutting conditions. It was shown that it is possible to get longer fatigue life for machined parts than the virgin material or the carefully finished material without affected layer, only by setting the proper cutting conditions. Such a situation was realized when the generated residual stress was small and the induced surface hardness was high. A longer fatigue life for the machined components can be obtained by applying such cutting conditions as a low feed rate, a small corner radius and a chamfered cutting edge tool.

Computerized tomography and C-Scan for measuring delamination in the drilling of composite materials using various drills

Abstract: Whilst drilling is the most frequently employed operation of secondary machining for structure joining, delamination is a very serious defect during drilling of fiber-reinforced composite materials,. The evaluation of the delamination damage in the material is important but rather difficult, particularly for carbon fiber-based composites, because their colour makes visual inspection difficult. A special technique using medical equipment for computerized tomography is presented in this paper. It is compared to techniques using ultrasonic and is demonstrated as a feasible and an effective tool for the evaluation of drilling-induced delamination.

Effect of coolant strategy on tool performance, chip morphology and surface quality during high-speed machining of A356 aluminum alloy

Abstract: This paper describes the results of application of different coolant strategies to high-speed milling of aluminum alloy A356 for automotive industry. The paper investigates the effect of flood coolant, dry cutting, and minimum quantity of lubricant (MQL) technologies on tool wear, surface roughness and cutting forces. The cutting speed range was up to 5225 m/min. The feed rate used was up to 20 m/min. The result of MQL application is compared with dry milling and milling with flood coolant application. It was found that the MQL technology could be a viable alternative to the flood coolant application. The adhesive tool wear mechanism and adhesion activated surface quality deterioration are revealed and the role of lubricant in their reduction is defined.

Modelling the correlation between cutting and process parameters in high-speed machining of Inconel 718 alloy using an artificial neural network

Abstract: An artificial neural network (ANN) model was developed for the analysis and prediction of the relationship between cutting and process parameters during high-speed turning of nickel-based, Inconel 718, alloy. The input parameters of the ANN model are the cutting parameters: speed, feed rate, depth of cut, cutting time, and coolant pressure. The output parameters of the model are seven process parameters measured during the machining trials, namely tangential force (cutting force, Fz), axial force (feed force, Fx), spindle motor power consumption, machined surface roughness, average flank wear (VB), maximum flank wear (VBmax) and nose wear (VC). The model consists of a three-layered feedforward backpropagation neural network. The network is trained with pairs of inputs/outputs datasets generated when machining Inconel 718 alloy with triple (TiCN/Al2O3/TiN) PVD-coated carbide (K 10) inserts with ISO designation CNMG 120412. A very good performance of the neural network, in terms of agreement with experimental data, was achieved. The model can be used for the analysis and prediction of the complex relationship between cutting conditions and the process parameters in metal-cutting operations and for the optimisation of the cutting process for efficient and economic production.

Micro-burr formation and minimization through process control

Abstract: This paper presents an investigation on micro-burr formation in machining Micro-cutting is compared with conventional cutting in terms of cutting process characteristic and cutting conditions In this paper, tungsten–carbide micro-mills were used to cut holes (in a drilling-like process) to investigate top burr formation The size and type of burr created in stainless steel 304 are studied as a function of machining variables, which are feed, cutting speed and cutting edge radius, to help illuminate the micro-burr formation mechanisms A series of experiments was conducted to study tool life as a function of cutting conditions Tool life, here, is defined as the number of holes created before a significant increase in burr height Based on experimental results, contour charts for predicting burr formation as well as tool life are developed to minimize burr formation and to improve tool life The model, which includes the effect of feed, cutting speed, and the interaction between the two, predicted the burr height and tool life values with an accuracy of about ±15%

Finite element modeling of erosive wear

Abstract: Material damage caused by the attack of particles entrained in a fluid system impacting a surface at high speed is called ‘Erosion’. Erosion is a phenomenon that takes place in several engineering applications. It also can be used in several manufacturing process such as abrasive waterjet machining. Erosion is a complex process dependent on particle speed, size, angle of attack as well as the behavior of the eroded material. Extensive experimental results have been reported in the literature on the erosion of different materials. Simulating the erosion process through finite element enables the prediction of erosion behavior of materials under different conditions, which will substitute the need of experimentation, and will enable the identification of constants required for existing analytical models. In this paper, an elasto-plastic finite element (FE) model is presented to simulate the erosion process in 3D configuration. The FE model takes into account numerical and material damping, thermal elastic–plastic material behavior and the effect of multiple particle impacts as well as material removal. The workpiece material modeled was Ti–6Al–4V. The effects of strain hardening, strain rate and temperature were considered in the non-linear material model. Comparison against results reported in literature and erosion models by Finnie, Bitter and Hashish are made. It is shown that the predicted results are in agreement with published results obtained experimentally and from analytical erosion models.