Machinability of Different Wood-Plastic Composites during Peripheral Milling.

Zhaolong Zhu,Xiaolei Guo,Jinxin Wang,Wei Xu,Zhanwen Wu,Dietrich Buck

doi:10.3390/ma15041303

Zhaolong Zhu, Xiaolei Guo + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15041303

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to improve the machinability of wood-plastic composites by exploring the effects of different wood-plastic composites on machinability. In particular, the effects of milling with cemented carbide cutters were assessed by investigating cutting forces, cutting temperature, surface quality, chip formation, and tool wear. The cutting parameters determined to yield an optimal surface quality were rake angle 2°, cutting speed 9.0 m/s, feed per tooth 0.3 mm, and cutting depth 1.5 mm. In these optimized milling conditions, the wood-plastic composite with polypropylene exhibited the highest cutting forces, cutting temperature, and tool wear, followed by polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride wood-plastic composites. Two wear patterns were determined during wood-plastic composite machining, namely chipping and flaking. Due to the different material composition, semi-discontinuous ribbon chips and continuous ribbon chips were generated from the machining process of wood-plastic composites with polypropylene and polyethylene, respectively. The wood-plastic composite with polyvinyl chloride, on the other hand, formed needle-like chips. These results contribute to a theoretical and practical basis for improved wood-plastic composite machining in industrial settings.

Highlights

This work aimed to explore the cutting performance of wood-plastic composites based on cutting forces, cutting temperature, surface quality, chip formation, and tool wear
The main conclusions from this study based on a series of peripheral milling experiments using cemented carbide cutters are as follows: (1)
Three types of chips were formed during machining of the three types of Wood-plastic composites (WPC), namely continuous ribbon chips (WPEC), semi-discontinuous ribbon chips (WPPC), and needle chips (WPVCC)

Summary

Introduction

For which production is primarily through extrusion, WPC products are manufactured using drilling, planing, turning, and milling [8,9]. This leads to issues pertaining to cutting forces and temperature, surface quality, chip formation, and tool wear, much like the case of traditional timber. Understanding the effects machining processes have on WPC products is critical, to create better quality products, and to enhance tool longevity. It is not surprising that many researchers focus on understanding these aspects of WPC machining

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