Investigation of Material Removal Rate in Mill-Grinding SiC Particle Reinforced Aluminum Matrix Composites

Abstract

Particle reinforced metal matrix composites (SiCp/Al composites) have proved to be extremely difficult to machine with traditional cutting processes due to serious tool-wear and high machining cost, which lead to the low machining efficiency. This paper presents the results of an experimental research on mill-grinding of SiC particle reinforced aluminum matrix composites. Based on the Taguchi experimental design method, study on the material removal rate was carried out to gain the optimal processing parameters combination by using the analysis of S/N ratio. The detailed effect of wheel speed on material removal rate through single factor experiment was also studied. Though analysis of S/N ratio and variance, the depth of cut has greatest effect on the material removal rate, followed by feed rate. And grinding wheel speed has least effect on it. But the depth of cut and feed rate affect on the material removal rate nonlinearly. In the range of machining parameters applied, the optimal processing parameters combination gained is A2B3C3, namely, vs=11.77m/s, vw=100mm/min, ap=0.8mm. Material removal rate increased at first and then there was a decreasing trend with increasing wheel speed.