Modelling of Metal Removal Rate in Copper Alloy Milling Using MATLAB

Abstract

The copper found in Earth’s soil ranks fourth in abundance among structural metals. Copper alloys are composed of copper and other elements. Most commonly, these alloys are used in aerospace, medical, and energy applications, but they are also used in many other areas. The amount of the stabilizing agents and the temperature determine which phase copper alloys exist in, including α, α + β, and β. The temperature in the cutting zone is one of the most important factors to control when machining copper alloys. Copper alloys have low thermal conductivity and high heat capacity, meaning that they have low heat conduction from the cutting zone, which leads to the built-up heat in the cutting edge. As the workpiece and cutting tool moves at different speeds, the temperature is strongly affected by the cutting speed. The physical and chemical properties of tool wear progression have been used in several studies and research projects to model tool life and metal removal as a result of this fact. The focus of this article is on establishing a model connecting cutting parameters and measured responses in terms of tool life, using the design of experiments and metamodeling to establish a model that can be used to predict tool life from milling experiments. In order to secure reliable machining operations, these models were designed for customer recommendation and cutting data optimization. The study focused on copper alloys 6Al-4V, the most common being α + β alloy. In conclusion, the two models developed in this study are able to predict the tool life based on the cutting speed and radial width of cuts. As long as certain parameters are met, the models will ensure the highest possible metal removal rate.