Determination and Analysis of Working Diameters and Working Angle of the Torus Cutter Blade in Multi-axis Machining in the Aspect of Tool Wear

Abstract

The aim of this study is to provide a theoretical and experimental analysis of the multi-axis milling process by the torus milling cutter of nickel-based superalloy parts in terms of surface quality and tool wear. In the analytical part, using, among other things, matrix calculus and trigonometric relationships, mathematical models were developed to describe the relationships between the tool axis orientation and the geometric parameters of the cutting layer at the contact point. On this basis, mathematical relationships for contact diameter and effective diameter were derived. The basis for these considerations is the very rarely considered working angle of the cutter blade. In part of the experimental study, machining tests were carried out for selected kinematic variants of multi-axis cutting. Based on the results obtained, it was found that as the tool axis inclination angle increases, the contact diameter increases. The effective diameter at the upper characteristic point of the cutting layer increases up to a certain angle of inclination, after which it begins to decrease. The rotational angle of the tool axis does not affect any of the diameters, but it does affect the displacement of the contact point, the values of the working angle of the tool blade and the feed-related component decrease. The result of this displacement is a change from climb milling to conventional milling, which has significantly degraded surface quality and tool life. The best results of the machining test were obtained when only the angle of inclination of the tool axis was used. It was concluded that the parameter tool blade working angle can be a control variable in a multi-axis milling process and has a major impact on the physical aspects of the cutting process.