Experimental research and modelling of life-cycle material removal in belt finishing for titanium alloy

Abstract

The use of heat-resistant titanium alloys for the manufacture of gas turbine engine components for aerospace/energy applications, including the blisk, blade, casing, and bling, has become a routine exercise. Belt finishing is a good method for the precision manufacturing of titanium alloy components. However, normal belt finishing with elastic contact and grain wear might pose manufacturing challenges, especially when finishing processes are needed to control the cutting depth, remove the machining marks and establish a required workpiece surface quality and profile precision. Information on efficient finishing and material removal modelling of belt finishing for such sensitive industrial applications is scarce.This paper aims to establish a model of life-cycle material removal (LCMR) for a newly proposed method of BEF (belt efficient finishing) to realize the final precision finishing operation for components made of titanium alloy. Firstly, the theory model of LCMR is established by the curvature of LCMR for BEF based on the material removal mechanism of normal belt finishing. Secondly, the parametric mathematical models of LCMR for BEF of titanium alloy materials with flat and cylindrical surfaces are established by the method of least squares multiple linear regression analysis after orthogonal experimentation, and next, the F-test method is used to verify the significance of the model. Finally, the material removal of the BEF mechanism is analysed for different finishing parameters, conditions and movements with the single factor experiment method, and the parametric mathematical models of LCMR for BEF are simultaneously verified. Using this model, the life-cycle material removal can be predicted during belt efficient finishing of titanium alloy materials. The experimental and predicted results were in good agreement, and it could be concluded that the new method might be a viable process for finishing aero-engine components.