Constitutive Modelling of Mechanical Behaviour of a Ti-Alloy, Applicable in Metal Cutting

Abstract

In order to simulate manufacturing processes, it is essential to have accurate information about mechanical behaviour of material for different deformation conditions depending on the type of the process. In finite element (FE) analysis based techniques for simulation, a constitutive equation is needed to model the mechanical behaviour of material. In the case of metal cutting, the Johnson and Cook (JC) flow stress model is the most suitable constitutive equation to be used in simulation since it contains the effects of strain, strain-rate and temperature. It is needed to evaluate the parameters and constants of the JC model to make it applicable in FE simulations. There are several ways to evaluate the parameters of the equation: experimental such as high strain-rate compression tests called “Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar” which is relatively complicated and expensive technique requiring special testing apparatus; and analytical approach based on Oxley’s theory. An integral method containing quasi-static compression and machining tests have been used in this paper to evaluate the JC equation parameters by fitting data from both tests for a Ti-alloy (Ti6Al4V). Finally the estimated JC model is validated by some other machining tests.