Abstract
Titanium alloys are extensively used in aerospace and medical industries. About 15% of modern civil aircrafts are made from titanium alloys. Ti–6Al–4V, the most used titanium alloy, is widely considered a difficult-to-machine material due to short tool life, poor surface integrity, and low productivity during machining. Cryogenic machining using liquid nitrogen (LN2) has shown promising advantages in increasing tool life and material removal rate whilst improving surface integrity. However, to date, there is no study on cutting tool geometry and its performance relationship in cryogenic machining. This paper presents the first investigation on various cutting tool geometries for cryogenic end milling of Ti–6Al–4V alloy. The investigations revealed that a 14° rake angle and a 10° primary clearance angle are the most suitable geometries for cryogenic machining. The effect of cutting speed on tool life was also studied. The analysis indicated that 110 m/min cutting speed yields the longest tool life of 91 min whilst allowing for up to 83% increased productivity when machining Ti–6Al–4V. Overall the research shows significant impact in machining performance of Ti–6Al–4V with much higher material removal rate.
Highlights
Titanium is one of the most desirable materials in engineering applications where weight is a major concern
A comprehensive review of literature in cryogenic machining revealed that there is a significant need for investigating the effect of various cutting tool geometries in cryogenic end milling of Ti–6Al–4V
This study identified that: The material properties of workpiece and cutting tool are affected by cryogenic cooling
Summary
Titanium is one of the most desirable materials in engineering applications where weight is a major concern. It has the highest strength-to-weight ratio amongst all structural materials and can withstand high temperatures. Due to its inherent mechanical properties, titanium alloys are extensively used in aerospace industries. 14% of the Airbus A350-900 [2] and 15% of Boeing 787 [3] aeroframes are made of titanium alloys. Manufactured from wrought material, investment casting or even additive manufacturing, all parts require machining processes for finishing in order to achieve the required surface finish, engineering tolerances, and mechanical properties such as predictable fatigue life
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