Deformation behaviour of aluminium during machining: Modelling by Eulerian and smoothed-particle hydrodynamics methods

Abstract

Large-strain deformation behaviour of aluminium that accompanies continuous chip formation during machining (1100 Al) has been studied using experimental and numerical techniques. In experimental studies, local values of plastic strains were determined in the primary and the secondary deformation zones of machined 1100 Al. This was completed through a careful examination of metallographic sections taken from the material ahead of the tool tip, in which orientation changes in the flow lines in the material and shear angles were used to calculate plastic strains. Variations in local flow stresses were estimated from microhardness measurements. The examination of the stresses and strains at each measurement location generated a stress—strain relationship for the 1100 Al material. An important observation from the experimental portion of this research indicated that the material stress—strain response was independent of the feed rates considered in this study. Additionally, the response was observed to obey an exponential relationship with stress saturation occurring at approximately 300 MPa. Parameters associated with the Johnson—Cook constitutive equation were also determined from the experimental work. An Eulerian finite-element method and a relatively new so-called mesh-free method [smoothed-particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method] have been applied to the simulation of machining. The application of these methods permits simulation of the machining process without use of any mesh separation criterion. Appropriate values of the coefficients of friction, for numerical studies, were determined in parametric studies by correlating the experimentally measured chip thicknesses with the numerically predicted values. The effectiveness of the Eulerian and SPH methods in predicting the response of 1100 Al during orthogonal machining has been assessed through a rigorous comparison of the stress—strain distribution within formed chips during steady-state cutting. Both the Eulerian and SPH models showed good overall correlation with the experimentally measured stress—strain distribution when the exponential type material behaviour was assumed in modelling. A maximum stress of 300 MPa at the tool tip was obtained from the numerical simulations using the assumed exponential material behaviour. The location of maximum stress corresponded to the position of maximum strain (8.0). The application of the Johnson—Cook type constitutive equation resulted in predicting a lower maximum equivalent strain (4.5) and higher maximum stresses (325 MPa).