The local stress distribution in the chip formation zone of the aluminium alloy Al2017 was analysed, whereby Al2017 serves as an characteristic example for materials with fcc structure. Therefore, diffraction studies with synchrotron X-radiation during orthogonal cutting of aluminium Al2017 samples were performed at the High Energy Materials Science beamline P07 at the storage ring PETRA III in Hamburg/Germany. Additionally, the measurement provided information about the microstructural development in the chip formation zone by means of the FWHM (full width at half maxima), reflection intensities and texture. The data was recorded by the 2D detector MAR345. The cutting setup was integrated in a tension/compression testing machine, which realized the movement of the workpiece by the movement of the upper die. The beam had a cross section of 20x20 µm. The influence of important cutting parameters such as the rake angle, cutting edge radius and undeformed chip thickness on the stress distribution was proven. Steep stress gradients were observed normal to the shear plane. Compressive stresses are existing in the shear zone for all directions, whereby the highest stresses were found in cutting direction. Tensile stresses were observed behind the cutting edge. The strongly deformed areas in the chip formation zone show a reduction of domain sizes. Also the formation of a texture was observed which is more pronounced for measuring positions with a strong shear deformation. The experimental results will be used to improve FEM (Finite Element Method) simulations and evaluate and extend existing chip formation modells
