An Approach to Improve Cutting Performance in Micromilling of Titanium Alloy

Abstract

Application of liquid carbon dioxide to improve cutting performance in micro-end milling of Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy was proposed in this study. It was found that the machined roughness decreased with the cutting speed as observed in the conventional cutting, when a 0.5 mm diameter end milling cutter was used in dry cutting. But, the tiny and shattered chips produced by the use of 0.3 mm diameter cutter could adhere on the machined surface and deteriorate surface finish, if the cutting speed was higher than 40 m/min. Cutting temperature was effectively decreased by applying liquid carbon dioxide during micromilling, which in turn reduced the amount of chips adhering on the machined surface and lowered flank wear. The surface roughness Ra at a cutting speed of 70 m/min was improved from 0.09 μm under dry cutting to 0.04 μm under the liquid carbon dioxide assisted cutting condition. And there were no flank wear and very few burrs left on the machined surface for the condition used in the experiment. The height of the burrs was only 25% of that under dry cutting. More, minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) was proposed to be applied together with the liquid carbon dioxide to enhance lubrication effect. It was noted that the machined surface roughness was further decreased by 15% as compared with that when the liquid carbon dioxide was applied alone. The height of burrs was reduced from 32 μm to 16 μm.