Study on Cutting Force and Tool Wear of High Volume SiC/Al MMCs with Ultrasonic Vibration High Speed Milling

Abstract

Particle-reinforcement aluminum-based metal matrix composites (MMCs) are widely applied in the aviation, aerospace and military fields due to their excellent physical and mechanical properties. But the further application of the materials is hampered owing to its difficultly machining characteristics. There are unique advantages while cutting hard and brittle materials with ultrasonic vibration. The ultrasonic vibration high-speed milling (ultrasonic milling) is a reasonable cutting method in which combined the advantages of high-speed milling (conventional milling) and ultrasonic milling. The machining performances of high volume SiCp/Al MMCs were studied by conventional milling and ultrasonic milling in this paper. The influences of the milling parameters on the milling force were investigated in the experiment. In addition, the wear and mechanism of tool were analyzed in ultrasonic milling. The results show that the cutting force, abrasive wear were reduced, and tool lives were increased effectively during ultrasonic milling of SiCp/Al MMCs.