Inverse analysis of the cutting force in laser-assisted milling on Inconel 718

Abstract

Inverse analysis is of value identifying viable solutions of process parameters that can achieve specified process performance. In this study, an inverse analysis method is proposed for the cutting force in laser-assisted milling on Inconel 718. The method uses the analytical model to solve the direct problem and applies a variance-based recursive method to guide the inverse analysis. The half-slot milling is simplified as an orthogonal cutting at each instant, forces in cutting and radial directions are calculated under microstructure evolution, and the axial force is predicted according to tool geometry and coordinates transformation. The inverse analysis identifies five process parameters including feed rate, axial depth of milling, laser preheating temperature, spindle speed, and rake angle, and finds the optimal solution for target performance, the resultant cutting force. Four experiments verified the effectiveness of the proposed method because of a maximum error less than 8% between predicted forces and experimental measurements. The proposed method is valuable in terms of providing a reference for the selection of process parameters under certain cutting force requirements.