On the impacts of tool geometry and cutting conditions in straight turning of aluminum alloys 6061-T6: an experimentally validated numerical study

Abstract

Aluminum alloys 6061-T6 are widely utilized in the automotive, aerospace and marine industries due to high corrosion resistance, high strength, and good workability and machinability. The machining performance of these alloys depend on several factors including tool's material, coating and geometry.Cutting tool edge radius is one of the most effective factors in cutting forces, energy requirement and chip formation during metal cutting. The present article aims to study the interactions between the cutting edge radius and cutting speed, feed rate and rake angle and examine the impacts of the aforementioned tool geometry and cutting conditions on machining forces, cutting temperature, and chip thickness in cutting an aluminum alloy 6061-T6. Special attention is devoted to examining the influence of the cutting edge radius on machining variables and comparing the results of conventional machining (CM) and high speed machining (HSM). A finite element model was developed to simulate the above intercations and was experimentally validated for different machining parameters. The results demonstrate that although increasing the cutting edge radius clearly raises the machining forces, it has a slight influence on the chip thickness. It is also found that the maximum cutting temperatures remain nearly constant with changes in the tool edge radius, while the average temperatures of the tool tip increase especially in HSM. Furthermore, it was found that the location at which the maximum cutting temperature occurs depends more on cutting conditions and tool geometry than workpiece and tool materials.

Low and High Speed Orthogonal Cutting of AA6061-T6 under Dry and Flood-Coolant Modes: Tool Wear and Residual Stress Measurements and Predictions

“…As observed in this figure, the resultant machining forces increased with raising feed rate for both modes. This is because higher feed rates lead to larger tool–chip contact area and pressure, resulting in larger magnitudes of machining forces [ 9 , 11 ].…”

“…Orthogonal cutting of aluminum alloys is an important machining operation in the aerospace industry, particularly as initial step for further and more complex operations. According to Javidikia et al [ 9 ], one of the major challenges in othrogonal cutting of aluminum alloys is the occurrence of non-uniform cutting temperatures and machining forces. A previous research study by Hu and Huang [ 10 ] on turing of AISI4340 steel demonstrated that machining forces and temperature are the fundamental factors that determine the extent of residual stresses and tool wear.…”

“…Large tensile residual stresses can significantly affect fatigue life and corrosion resistance of machined components, which lead to crack propagation, as mentioned by Javidikia et al [ 1 ] and Sadeghifar et al [ 11 ], who carried out research on surface integrity induced by turning of AA6061-T6 and residual stresses and machining characteristics generated by orthogonal turning of 300M Steel, respectively. Based on the research work by Javidikia et al [ 9 ], the machining with the cutting speed below 900 is considered as LSC, while above 900 is known as HSC. Therefore, different experimental and numerical studies have been carried out to improve tool wear and residual stress induced by machining processes.…”

Experimental Investigation and Statistical Evaluation of Optimized Cutting Process Parameters and Cutting Conditions to Minimize Cutting Forces and Shape Deviations in Al6026-T9

“…The study also showed that cutting forces increase with an increase in feed rate and depth of cut. A similar study was completed by Javidikia et al [ 10 ]. They studied the impact of tool geometry and cutting conditions in turning the aluminum alloy 6061-T6 under a dry condition with uncoated carbide insert.…”

Studies on the effects of deep cryogenic treated WC–Co insert on turning of Al6063 using multi-objective optimization

“…According to Pattnaik et al [2], excessive crater wear was noticed while machining non-ferrous materials because of continuous chip flow over the outside of the tool. Javidikia et al [3] revealed that a larger contact region of the toolchip builds the chip thickness proportion that prompts to have higher cutting temperatures. Likewise, it induces a higher cutting force that prompts an effective utilization of the machine.…”