The relationship between the cutting speed, tool wear, and chip formation during Ti-5553 dry cutting

Abstract

Over the past several years, titanium alloys have been increasingly used in aeronautics. However, they are considered to have poor machinability. The Ti-5553 near-beta titanium alloy is used in aeronautics to replace Ti-64 and for the production of structural parts, such as landing gears. Due to the low thermal properties and the high mechanical properties presented in this work, this alloy is considered difficult to machine. This work is devoted to understanding the relationship between the chip formation, the cutting process, and the tool wear. The first section studies the evolution of the tool wear. The tests show that tool wear occurs in three steps mainly due to the cutting process and the chip formation. To clarify these points, a section is dedicated to the chip formation and cutting processes. An analytical model is also used to quantify stresses, temperatures, and friction inside the workpiece material and at the tool/chip interface. Chip formation is commonly studied using a tool without wear, which can affect the cutting tool geometry. To verify chip formation and the cutting process during machining, a section describes the chip formation and the cutting processes using worn tools.