is an open access repository that collects the work of Arts et Métiers ParisTech researchers and makes it freely available over the web where possible. Laser-assisted machining combines several experimental parameters such as cutting speed, feed rate, depth of cut, laser power and distance between tool rake face and the laser beam axis. The optimization of these parameters is necessary to ensure the efficiency of assistance and to increase productivity. This paper focuses on the understanding of the physical phenomena during laser-assisted machining, and on optimising this process. This contribution is based on an experimental and a numerical study. The experimentalpart highlights the effects of the laser power as well as the distance between the tool rake face and the axis of the laser beam. As for the numerical part, it was performed on the ABAQUS/Explicit software. The proposed model improves the understanding of the physical phenomena of chip formation and the cutting force reduction when machining with laser assistance. In addition, this model allows a better optimization of laser and cutting parameters.Numerical findings generally corroborate experimental results and can lead to some other information difficult to catch experimentally.The main contention in the paper is that the distance between the axis of the laser beam and the tool rake face is the most important parameter that controls the reduction of the cutting force. This cutting force reduction can exceed 50%.

International audienceIn this paper, a deep study of constitutive parameters definition effect is done in order to guarantee sufficient reliability of the finite element machining modeling. The case of a particular biphasic titanium alloy Ti6Al4V known by its low machinability is investigated. The Johnson-Cook (JC) elasto-thermo-visco-plastic-damage model combined with the energy-based ductile fracture criteria is used. Segmentation frequency, chip curvature radius, shear band spacing, chip serration sensitivity and intensity, accumulated plastic strain in the formed chip segments, and cutting forces levels are determined where their dependency to every constitutive coefficient is examined and highlighted. It is demonstrated from the separate variation of every plastic and damage parameters that an interesting finite element modeling (FEM) relevance is reached with the adjustment of JC strain hardening coefficients term, thermal softening parameter, exponent fracture factor, and damage evolution energy. Moderate and high cutting speeds are applied to the cutting tool in the aim to test their impact on shear localization, chip segmentation, and numerical forces levels as well as to approve previous highlighted findings related to constitutive parameters definition. In general, this study focuses on a prominent decrease in identification process cost with the previous knowledge of the most affecting constitutive coefficients while keeping an interesting agreement between numerical and experimental results