Abstract
Aluminum alloy 6061(Al6061), an Al-Mg-Si alloy, is a precipitation-hardened alloy. The generation of precipitate affects its mechanical properties, and induces a worse surface finish during diamond cutting. The friction coefficients of the tool-chip and tool-workpiece interfaces influence temperature rise, and are therefore important predictors of tool wear and surface integrity during the diamond cutting of Al6061. This study investigated the relationship between precipitate generation and the friction coefficients of Al6061. Groups of experiments were conducted to study the influence of temperature and heating time on the number of precipitates and the friction coefficients. The results show that the generation of AlFeSi particles induces cracks, scratch marks and pits on diamond-machined Al6061 and affects the cutting forces. Moreover, the variation trend of the friction coefficient of Al6061 under different heating conditions agrees well with that of the number of AlFeSi particles. This implies that, during ultra-precision machining of precipitation-hardened alloys, cutting-induced heat causes precipitates to form on the chips and machined surface, changing their material properties. This affects the tool-workpiece and tool–chip contact conditions and the mechanisms of chip formation and surface generation in ultra-precision machining.
Highlights
Aluminum alloy 6061(Al6061) is being used more and more widely, for instance in transportation, as a result of its light weight, moderate strength and good forming ability [1,2]
Precipitation can help to enhance the mechanical properties of 6000 series alloys [4], it has some detrimental effects, such as on their corrosion resistance [5], and on the surface finish obtained during the machining process
One reason for this is that the Al6061 samples were heat-treated and the particles generated on the surface decreased the surface quality, increasing the friction coefficient
Summary
Aluminum alloy 6061(Al6061) is being used more and more widely, for instance in transportation, as a result of its light weight, moderate strength and good forming ability [1,2]. It is well known that the work done and the power consumed during the cutting process is largely converted into heat This is dissipated through the cutting tool, the chips and the workpiece material. Precipitate generation in Al6061 affects the the surface finish during machining [6], and its material properties. In the context of ultra-precision machining of Al6061, it is even more important, since the heat dissipated through the chips and workpiece materials induces the generation of precipitated dissipated through the chips and workpiece materials induces the generation of precipitated phases and changes their mechanical properties, affecting the mechanisms of chip formation and phases and changes their mechanical properties, affecting the mechanisms of chip formation and surface generation
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