Finite Element Simulation and Validation of Chip Formation and Cutting Forces in Dry and Cryogenic Cutting of Ti-6Al-4V

Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy is a popular material in industrial applications (e.g. aerospace, oil & gas, medical) due to its superior mechanical properties, although its low thermal conductivity and high chemical reactivity with other materials make it a hard-to-cut material. A finite element model (FEM) was developed in the present investigation to simulate dry and cryogenic orthogonal cutting of Ti-6Al-4V by using TiAlN coated carbide inserts. Numerical prediction of the effect of the superior cryogenic cooling on chip formation, cutting and thrust forces were investigated. The simulations were validated by the comparison with experimental results. The model calibration was performed with experimental data on dry cutting and then the model was used for predicting the cryogenic cooling case. The validated FEM models were used to compare the chip formation in dry cutting and cryogenic cutting in order to point out some differences in terms of chip segmentation frequency and chip thickness and gain additional knowledge.