Measurements of Forces and Temperature Fields in High-Speed Machining of 6061-T6 Aluminum Alloy

Abstract

This study focuses on experimental modeling of dry high-speed machining at 30 m/s cutting velocity using 6061-T6 aluminum alloy. A modified Hopkinson bar apparatus is employed to simulate orthogonal machining, a focused array of mercury–cadmium–tellurium infrared detectors is used to measure the temperature distribution around the tool tip, and a three-component quartz force transducer is utilized in measuring the cutting and feed forces. The resulting measurements confirm the assumption of steady-state cutting and allow for estimation of the partition of cutting work into heating, shear, and momentum changes in the chip. In an earlier study, measurements of temperature distributions showed little heating of the finished surface. Therefore, a study of the temperature fields generated during machining with a cutting tool that has a wear-land was performed. The wear-land contributes significantly to the heating of the workpiece and, at this speed, is the most likely mechanism for the generation of residual stresses and a temperature rise on the finished surface.