Title: Effect of tool wear progression on cutting forces and surface quality during cutting metal matrix composites

Authors: S. Kannan, H.A. Kishawy

Addresses: Turbine Blade Facility, Rolls-Royce plc, Derby, DE24 8BJ UK. ' Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Ontario, L1H 7K4 Canada

Abstract: Metal matrix composites (MMCs) have joined the group of difficult-to-cut materials because of the inherent abrasiveness of ceramic reinforcements. Flank wear is the dominant form of tool failure due to severe abrasion of the tool material by the reinforcements during cutting MMCs. The progression of tool wear is so rapid that sometimes the cutting tool lasts only for few seconds at high cutting speeds. The main objective of this paper is to investigate the changes in the magnitude of machining forces generated and the alterations in the quality of machined surface as a consequence of rapid tool wear progression during cutting aluminium MMCs. Dry cutting experiments were carried out on A356/SiC and 6061/Alumina aluminium MMCs. Different process parameters and cutting tool geometries were tested using coated and uncoated tungsten carbide inserts on MMCs reinforced with varying volume fractions and average particulate sizes. The experimental results showed a substantial increase in the cutting forces. The effect of wear progression on the obtained surface quality was also quantified. The results provide valuable information on the relationship between the generated machining forces, progression of tool wear and the resulted surface quality during machining MMCs.

Keywords: metal matrix composites; aluminium MMCs; surface roughness; cutting force; tool wear; surface quality; machining forces; wear progression; dry cutting; tungsten carbide inserts.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMMM.2008.020961

International Journal of Machining and Machinability of Materials, 2008 Vol.3 No.3/4, pp.241 - 251

Published online: 29 Oct 2008 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article