Theoretical and experimental investigations of magnetic field assisted ultra-precision machining of titanium alloys

Abstract

Although titanium (Ti) alloys possess unique properties that allow them to compete with many other materials in advanced industries such as aerospace, marine and biomedical, they have poor machining performances. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the distribution of magnetic field intensity at the cutting environment in single-point diamond turning (SPDT) of Ti–6Al–4 V alloy and its influence on the machining performances, with the goal of achieving the desired machining conditions of magnetic field assisted ultra-precision machining, especially magnetic field intensity and the corresponding machining parameters, and to enhance the machinability of Ti–6Al–4 V alloy. In this study, magnetic field-assisted machining (MFAM) system was designed and coupled with ultra-precision machining (UPM) using single-point diamond turning for increasing the machinability and improving the surface quality of Ti6Al4V alloy machined parts. The finite element method (FEM) was developed to demonstrate the influences of the generated magnetic field on the machining processes. The Experimental results showed the capability of magnetic field assistance to enhance the machining performance of Ti–6Al–4 V alloy. These findings provided strong evidence that a magnetic field has the ability to extend cutting tool life, additionally, MFAM achieved the lowest value of surface roughness, representing a 33 percent improvement in surface roughness. This research contributes to the support of the optimum MFAM by FEM and the achievement of high-quality machined Ti alloys in UPM for similar research works, as demonstrated by the experimental results.