An experimental investigation on temperature distribution in high-speed milling of AZ91C magnesium alloy

Abstract

Magnesium alloys are widely used materials in industry because of their formability and low density. The machining process of these alloys; however; is a challenging problem due to their flammability. This challenge demands extensive studies on the work-piece and machining zone temperature, especially in processes with elevated temperature; such as high-speed machining. In this research, the temperature distribution of the AZ91C magnesium alloy in high-speed milling is investigated. In order to study the temperature distribution, two temperature measurement methods are employed (i.e. the infrared thermometer for measurement of the machining zone temperature, and the contact method for the work-piece temperature) and the results are presented. The experiments are carried out in different cutting speeds (both in high-speed range and normal speed range) in two different depths of cut. The results show that the work-piece temperature is reduced as the cutting speed passes the cutting speed of 452 m/min in high-speed milling, while the machining zone temperature is increased as a result of the increase in the cutting speed. The results also show that the temperature is increased 13.9% and 14.2% as the depth of cut is increased from 0.5 mm to 1 mm in the cutting zone and workpiece respectively, which is the result of an increase in the uncut chip area that results in higher cutting forces.