A study of thermal field in high speed machining using a three-dimensional finite element model

A study of the thermal field in high speed machining is presented in this dissertation. The goal is to develop a three dimensional (oblique) cutting model for simulating thermal field during machining. The oblique cutting process represents most of the cutting processes encountered in the industry. Since most of the experimental and analytical studies done in metal cutting are on the orthogonal cutting process, 2-D and 3-D orthogonal models were first developed and analyzed. The analyses were done using an updated Lagrangian general purpose finite element code called ABAQUS. The numerical results correlate well with the experimentally determined temperature distribution in the workpiece material. A three dimensional model of oblique cutting process was then developed and analyzed. The numerical results showed that the oblique cutting process generated 24 percent more heat than the orthogonal cutting process.; Tool life determines the economy of any machining operation. Even today, many industries still rely on Taylor's 'constant' to determine the most economical mode of cutting operation. Taylor's 'constant' is based on only the cutting speed. The tool life in this study has been based on the temperature profile on the tool. The tool life based on the temperature is more effective because all variables that affect cutting operations such as speed, strain rate, rake angle and friction are taken into consideration.