Ultra high speed machining of aluminum alloys: Machinability aspects and attainable accuracy

This paper investigates the effect of cutting environment and tool material & configuration on tool wear, cutting forces, chip morphology and surface roughness during ultra high speed machining of A356 aluminium alloy at cutting speeds up to 7000 m/ min is. The effects of three coolant application strategies, including dry cutting, flood coolant, and Minimum Quantity of Lubricant (MQL) on the process outputs are quantified. It is concluded that cutting speeds in the range of 5000 m/min and higher are feasible if machine system dynamics are considered and the feed rates are selected such as to ensure appropriate chip thickness.