Effect of volcano-like textured tools on machining of Ti-6Al-4V alloy: a numerical and experimental analysis

Abstract

Higher temperature and lower thermal conductivity between the tool-chip contact face easily result in adhesion and wear on the tool surface which negatively affects the tool life and the machining quality of the workpiece in the machining Ti-6Al-4V alloy process. To address these problems, the investigation, combining the simulation and experiment, introduced the volcano-like textures of different diameters with excellent anti-adhesion performance on the tool rake face. Deform-3D software with updated Lagrangian formulation was used for numerical simulation, and the thermo-mechanical analysis was performed using the Johnson-Cook material model to predict the cutting forces, cutting temperature and tool wear. In machining experiments, volcano-like textures (VT) with different diameters were fabricated by fiber laser on the rake face of cemented carbide tools close to the main cutting edge. Experiments in machining Ti-6Al-4V alloy were carried out with the textured tools and non-textured tool under rough machining, semi-finishing and finishing conditions. Then, cutting force, cutting temperature and tool wear were investigated. The results showed that textured tools generally perform better than non-textured tool. The cutting force of VT1 was reduced by 31.2% and 50%, respectively, compared with the non-textured tool under semi-finishing and finishing conditions. With the refinement of machining, the cutting performance of the textured tools is improved, and the service life of the tool is extended. Therefore, the investigation can provide a basis for the surface texture design and optimization of the carbide tool.