FEM-based simulation of continuous wear of CrAlN-coated tools

The understanding of the correlation between the coating-specific properties of PVD-coated cutting tools, the thermomechanical loads on the cutting wedge and the resulting tool wear, is necessary to avoid costly iterative test series. To obtain this knowledge a hybrid approach based on experimental tests and FEM-based chip formation is used in this study. In this respect, in a first step, a suitable wear rate model is derived and parameterized on the basis of wear analogy tests and experimental machining investigations. This wear rate model is then coupled with the FEM-based chip formation simulation to predict continuous tool wear

FE-Simulation Based Design of Wear-Optimized Cutting Edge Roundings

The performance of cutting tools can be significantly enhanced by matching the cutting edge rounding to the process and material properties. However, the conventional cutting edge rounding design is characterized by a significant number of experimental machining studies, which involve considerable cost, time, and resources. In this study, a novel approach to cutting edge rounding design using FEM-based chip formation simulations is presented. Based on a parameterized simulation model, tool temperatures, stresses and relative velocities can be calculated as a function of tool microgeometry. It can be shown that the external tool loads can be simulated with high agreement. With the help of these loads and the use of wear models, the resulting tool wear and the optimum cutting edge rounding can be determined. The final experimental investigations show a qualitatively high agreement to the simulation, which will enable a reduced effort design of the cutting edge in the future

FE-Simulation Based Design of Wear-Optimized Cutting Edge Roundings

The performance of cutting tools can be significantly enhanced by matching the cutting edge rounding to the process and material properties. However, the conventional cutting edge rounding design is characterized by a significant number of experimental machining studies, which involve considerable cost, time, and resources. In this study, a novel approach to cutting edge rounding design using FEM-based chip formation simulations is presented. Based on a parameterized simulation model, tool temperatures, stresses and relative velocities can be calculated as a function of tool microgeometry. It can be shown that the external tool loads can be simulated with high agreement. With the help of these loads and the use of wear models, the resulting tool wear and the optimum cutting edge rounding can be determined. The final experimental investigations show a qualitatively high agreement to the simulation, which will enable a reduced effort design of the cutting edge in the future

FE-Simulation Based Design of Wear-Optimized Cutting Edge Roundings

The performance of cutting tools can be significantly enhanced by matching the cutting edge rounding to the process and material properties. However, the conventional cutting edge rounding design is characterized by a significant number of experimental machining studies, which involve considerable cost, time, and resources. In this study, a novel approach to cutting edge rounding design using FEM-based chip formation simulations is presented. Based on a parameterized simulation model, tool temperatures, stresses and relative velocities can be calculated as a function of tool microgeometry. It can be shown that the external tool loads can be simulated with high agreement. With the help of these loads and the use of wear models, the resulting tool wear and the optimum cutting edge rounding can be determined. The final experimental investigations show a qualitatively high agreement to the simulation, which will enable a reduced effort design of the cutting edge in the future

Influence of end mill manufacturing on cutting edge quality and wear behaviorInfluence of End Mill Manufacturing on Cutting Edge Quality and Wear Behavior

One of the decisive factors for the performance of milling tools is the quality of the cutting edge. The latter results from the process control of the individual steps along the tool manufacturing process chain, which generally includes the sintering or pressing of the blanks, grinding, cutting edge preparation, and coating of the tools. However, the targeted and application-specific design of the process steps in terms of high economic efficiency is currently limited by a lack of knowledge regarding the influence of the corresponding process parameters on the resulting cutting edge quality. In addition, there is a lack of suitable parameters that adequately represent the characteristics of the cutting edge microtopography. This publication therefore investigates the influence of manufacturing processes on cutting edge quality and wear behavior of end mills. On this basis, different characterization parameters for the cutting edge quality are derived and evaluated with regard to their ability to predict the wear behavior

Thermomechanical coating load in dependence of fundamental coating properties.

The conventional development of a coating system for cutting tools includes a variety of test series with elaborate experimental parameter studies. In particular, experimental investigations of the cutting behavior cause a significant consumption of cost, time and resources. In order to adapt the coating properties to the specific requirements of the cutting process, it is desirable to reduce the experimental effort of coating development by simulation of the machining process. Therefore, the main factors of the thermo-mechanical coating load in machining AISI 4140 were identified by means of 2D FEM chip formation simulations. In order to provide the required thermal and mechanical coating properties for the simulations, CrAlN-based coatings were deposited onto cutting inserts and extensively characterized. Within the simulations, the coating properties were varied between the physical and technological boundaries of CrAlN-based coatings. It was shown that the Young's modulus, the coating thickness and the friction coefficient significantly influence the thermomechanical load and the stress distribution within the coating. Finally, the cutting performance of the coated inserts was experimentally investigated and compared with the results of the simulations. Here, it was shown that delamination of the coating is particularly influenced by coating thickness. © 2017 The Authors