Machining as a Wedge Indentation

Abstract

A case is made for the consideration of single-point machining of ductile metals as a special type of wedge indentation process. A general-purpose finite element analysis of machining using iterative rezoning is developed based on this analogy. The accuracy of this analysis, which does not incorporate any separation criterion, is limited only by our knowledge of the material properties and the friction conditions at the tool-chip interface. Strain hardening, strain rate effects, and the temperature dependence of the properties of the work material can be taken into consideration. While Coulomb friction is assumed at the chip-tool interface in the present model, it can easily be reformulated to include more complicated frictional interactions such as adhesion. An analysis of the cutting/indentation of an isotropic work-hardening material at slow speeds under two different friction conditions is presented. It is shown that many of the important features of machining processes are consistently reproduced by the analysis. [S0021-8936(00)03501-7]