Machining behaviour of AZ91E hybrid composite reinforced with granite and fly ash powders

Abstract

Abstract In the present study, hybrid composites of AZ91E reinforced with granite powder and fly ash powder were fabricated by stir casting route. The reinforcing material was added in different weight fractions (2.5 and 5% each). The densities of the composites were measured between 1.74−1.8 g cm−3. The role of different weight percentages of reinforcements on the machining behavior was investigated. Increased microhardness was measured for the composites due to the presence of the reinforcing material. Higher cutting forces were measured for the composites containing higher fraction of reinforcements. With the increased cutting speed (420 to 715 rpm) the cutting forces were observed as decreased and with the increased depth of cut (0.2 and 0.4 mm), higher cutting forces were recorded. At higher fraction of reinforcements, discontinuous chips were observed for the composites. The results demonstrate the significant role of granite powder and the fly ash powder on enhancing the mechanical properties (up to 66% compared with the base alloy) but also on increasing the difficulty level in machining.