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The machining operation drilling is part of the standard repertoire for medical applications. This machining cycle, which is usually a multi-stage process, generates the geometric element for the subsequent integration of implants, which are screwed into the bone in subsequent processes. In addition to the form, shape and position of the generated drill hole, it is also necessary to use a technology that ensures an operation with minimal damage. A surface damaged by excessive mechanical and thermal energy input shows a deterioration in the healing capacity of implants and represents a structure with complications for inflammatory reactions. The resulting loads are influenced by the material properties of the bone, the used technology and the tool properties. An important aspect of the process analysis is the fact that machining of bone is in most of the cases a manual process that depends mainly on the skills of the operator. This includes, among other things, the machining time for the production of a drill hole, since manual drilling is a force-controlled process. Experimental work was carried out on the bone of a porcine mandible in order to investigate the interrelation of the applied load during drilling. It can be shown that the load application can be subdivided according to the working feed direction. The entire drilling process thus consists of several time domains, which can be divided into the geometry-generating feed motion and a retraction movement of the tool. It has been shown that the removal of the tool from the drill hole has a significant influence on the mechanical load input. This fact is proven in detail by a new evaluation methodology. The causes of this characteristic can also be identified, as well as possible ways of reducing the load input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experimental study is focused on characterisation of edge hardening of sheet metal and remaining formability of differently prepared cutted edges. Edge cracking sensitivity of counter cutted, shear cutted, recutted and water-jet cutted components are compared and evaluated. Subsequently, edge hardening and hole expansion ratio were correlated for material HC420 LA with sheet thickness of t = 2 mm. As other studies show, the cutting edge surface quality influences the hole expansion ratio: a high clear cut surface increases formability of cutting edges, whereas micro cracks and rough surfaces result into a large fracture surface, which impact remaining formability noticeably. Thus, cutting edges with lower edge hardening behaviour in conjunction with a higher clear cut surface exhibit higher hole expansion ratios. Counter cutting and the recutting do show a similar effect on edge hardening. Using the hole expansion test, it was possible to prove that counter cutted components show a significantly lower edge cracking sensitivity in comparison to conventionally shear cutted components. The hole expansion ratio of counter cutted specimens looks balanced and is comparable to the hole expansion ratio measured from specimens with recutted or water jet cutted edges. The significant difference of the investigated cutting processes is characterized by size of clear cutting area. This area of recutted edges emerges larger than the area of counter cutted specimens, which evidently leads to an increased hole expansion ratio of recutted specimens compared to conventionally shear cutted ones. However, it is important to note that the hole expansion ratio of counter cutted and recutted specimens appear fairly balanced, but counter cutted samples indeed can be produced burr-free. Using counter cutting technology, it is possible to produce burr free surfaces with high edge formability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manufacturing of aluminium alloy structural aerospace parts involves several steps: forming (rolling, forging …etc), heat treatments and machining. Before machining, the manufacturing processes have embedded residual stresses into the workpiece. The final geometry is obtained during this last step, when up to 90% of the raw material volume is removed by machining. During this operation, the mechanical equilibrium of the part is in constant evolution due to the redistribution of the initial stresses. This redistribution is the main cause for workpiece deflections during machining and for distortions - after unclamping. Both may lead to non-conformity of the part regarding the geometrical and dimensional specifications and therefore to rejection of the part or additional conforming steps. In order to improve the machining accuracy and the robustness of the process, the effect of the residual stresses has to be considered for the definition of the machining process plan and even in the geometrical definition of the part. In this paper, the authors present two new numerical approaches concerning the modelling of machining of aeronautical structural parts. The first deals with the use of an immersed volume framework to model the cutting step, improving the robustness and the quality of the resulting mesh compared to the previous version. The second is about the mechanical modelling of the machining problem. The authors thus show that in the framework of rolled aluminium parts the use of a linear elasticity model is functional in the finite element formulation and promising regarding the reduction of computation times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The finishing process of parts manufactured by laser beam melting is of high concern due to the lack of surface accuracy. Therefore, the focus of this work lies on the influence of the build-up direction of the parts and their effect on the finishing process. The orthogonal cutting reveals findings in the fields of chip formation, involved forces and temperatures appearing during machining. In the investigations, the cutting depth was varied between 0.05 and 0.15 mm representing a finishing process and the cutting velocity ranges from 30 to 200 m/min depending on the material. The experiments contain the materials stainless steel (AISI 316L), titanium (Ti6Al4V) and nickel-base alloy (IN718). The two materials named latter are of high interest in the aerospace sector and at the same time titanium is used in the medical field due to its biocompatibility. For the materials IN718 and Ti6Al4V a negative rake angle of -7.5° and for stainless steel a rake angle of 12.5° are chosen for the cutting experiments. The results provide the base for processing strategies. Therefore, the specimens were solely laser beam melted without post-processing like heat treatment. The evaluation of the experiments shows that an increase in cutting speed has different effects depending on the material. For stainless steel the measured forces regarding the machining direction to the layers approach the same values. In contrast, the influence of the layers regarding the forces appearing during orthogonal cutting of the materials IN718 and Ti6Al4V differ for lower cutting speeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In part manufacturing, efficient process should minimize the cycle time needed to reach the prescribed quality on the part. In order to optimize it, the machining time needs to be as low as possible and the quality needs to meet some requirements. For a 2D milling toolpath defined by sharp corners, the programmed feedrate is different from the reachable feedrate due to kinematic limits of the motor drives. This phenomena leads to a loss of productivity. Smoothing the toolpath allows to reduce significantly the machining time but the dimensional accuracy should not be neglected. Therefore, a way to address the problem of optimizing a toolpath in part manufacturing is to take into account the manufacturing time and the part quality. On one hand, maximizing the feedrate will minimize the manufacturing time and, on the other hand, the maximum of the contour error needs to be set under a threshold to meet the quality requirements. This paper presents a method to optimize sharp corner smoothing using b-spline curves by adjusting the control points defining the curve. The objective function used in the optimization process is based on the contour error and the difference between the programmed feedrate and an estimation of the reachable feedrate. The estimation of the reachable feedrate is based on geometrical information. Some simulation results are presented in the paper and the machining times are compared in each cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tool inserts with different kinds of microtexture on the flank face were fabricated by laser irradiation for promoting the heat transfer from the tool face to the coolant. In addition to the micro-textured tools, jet coolant was applied to the tool tip from the side of the flank face, but under low-pressure conditions, to make Reynolds number of coolant as high as possible in the wedge shape zone between the tool flank and machined surface. First, the effect of jet coolant on the flank wear evolution was investigated using a tool without microtexture. The jet coolant showed an excellent improvement of the tool life in machining stainless steel SUS304 at higher cutting speeds. It was found that both the flow rate and velocity of jet coolant were indispensable to high performance cutting. Next, the effect of microtexture on the flank wear evolution was investigated using jet coolant. Three types of micro grooves extended tool life largely compared to the tool without microtexture. It was found that the depth of groove was one of important parameters affecting the tool life extension. As a result, the tool life was extended by more than l00 % using the microtextured tools and jet coolant compared to machining using flood coolant and a tool without microtexture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drilling is a conventional machining process widely applied to carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) for the riveting and fastening purposes in the aerospace and automotive industries. However, the machining mechanism of CFRP composites differ significantly from that of homogeneous metal alloys owing to their prominent anisotropy and heterogeneity. Serious hole defects such as fiber pullout, matrix debonding and delamination are generally produced during the hole-making process, resulting in the poor machined surface quality, low fatigue durability or even the part rejections. In order to minimize the defects especially the delamination damage in composites drilling, specialized drill bits are often a primary choice being widely adopted in a real production. This paper aims to study the effects of two drills differing in geometrical characteristics during the drilling of CFRP laminates. A number of drilling experiments were carried out with the aim to evaluate the drilling performance of different drill bits. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to observe the drilled surfaces to study the surface roughness. A high frequency scanning acoustic microscope (SAM) was applied to characterize the drilled hole morphologies with a particular focus on the delamination damage occurring in the CFRP laminates. The obtained results indicate that the fiber orientation relative to the cutting direction is a key factor affecting hole morphology and hole wall defects can be reduced by utilizing specialized drill geometries. Moreover, the dagger drill was confirmed outperforming the brad spur drill from the aspect of reducing drilling-induced delamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flat drills at a point angle of 180 deg. have recently been developed for drilling of automobile parts with the inclination of the workpiece surfaces. The paper studies the cutting processes of the flat drills in the analytical simulation. A predictive force model is applied to simulation of the cutting force with the chip flow direction. The chip flow model is piled up with orthogonal cuttings in the plane containing the cutting velocities and the chip flow velocities, in which the chip flow direction is determined to minimize the cutting energy. Then, the cutting force is predicted in the determined in the chip flow model. The typical cutting force of the flat drill is discussed with comparing to that of the standard drill. The typical differences are confirmed in the cutting force change during the tool engagement and disengagement. The cutting force, then, is simulated in drilling for an inclined workpiece with a flat drill. The horizontal components in the cutting forces are simulated with changing the inclination angle of the plate. The horizontal force component in the flat drilling is stable to be controlled in terms of the machining accuracy and the tool breakage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A reduction in material usage of cold forged components while maintaining the functional requirements can be achieved using hollow or tubular preforms. These preforms are used to meet lightweight requirements and to decrease production costs of cold formed components. To increase production efficiency in common multi-stage cold forming processes, manufacturing of hollow preforms by combining the processes backward cup extrusion and piercing was established and will be discussed in this paper. Corresponding investigations and experimental studies are reported in this article. The objectives of the experimental investigations have been the detection of significant process parameters, determination of process limits for the combined processes and validation of the numerical investigations. In addition, the general influence concerning surface quality and diameter tolerance of hollow performs are discussed in this paper. The final goal is to summarize a guideline for industrial application, moreover, to transfer the knowledge to industry, as regards what are required part geometries to reduce the number of forming stages as well as tool cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to demonstrate the possibility of using burnishing rolling process as the technology of product development. The experimental researches were carried out, showing the ability to form the surface layer of the product with the desired properties. First, during turning rolling the surfaces of the samples were prepared. Then, the surfaces were burnished. The influence of turning process on the state of the surface layer parameters of C45 steel shafts are shown. Among the examined aspects the surface roughness, nano-roughness, material bearing, surface microstructure, metallographic structure were considered. Numerical simulation were conducted. Conclusions from the experiments and simulation were given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have shown that machining under specific cooling and cutting conditions can be used to induce a nanocrystalline surface layer in the workspiece. This layer has beneficial properties, such as improved fatigue strength, wear resistance and tribological behavior. In machining, a promising approach for achieving grain refinement in the surface layer is the application of cryogenic cooling. The aim is to use the last step of the machining operation to induce the desired surface quality to save time-consuming and expensive post machining surface treatments. The material used in this study was AISI 304 stainless steel. This austenitic steel suffers from low yield strength that limits its technological applications. In this paper, liquid nitrogen (LN2) as cryogenic coolant, as well as minimum quantity lubrication (MQL), was applied and investigated. As a reference, conventional flood cooling was examined. Besides the cooling conditions, the feed rate was varied in four steps. A large rounded cutting edge radius and finishing cutting parameters were chosen to increase the mechanical load on the machined surface. The surface integrity was evaluated at both, the microstructural and the topographical levels. After turning experiments, a detailed analysis of the microstructure was carried out including the imaging of the surface layer and hardness measurements at varying depths within the machined layer. Along with microstructural investigations, different topological aspects, e.g., the surface roughness, were analyzed. It was shown that the resulting microstructure strongly depends on the cooling condition. This study also shows that it was possible to increase the micro hardness in the top surface layer significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the results of an experimental investigation aimed to st udy the machinability of AA7075 T6 (160 HV) for aerospace industry at high cutting speeds. The paper investigates the effects of different lubri-cooling strategies (cryogenic, M QL and dry) during high speed turning process on cutting forces, tool wear, chip morphology and cutting temperatures. The cutting speeds selected were 1000m/min, 1250m/min and 1500 m/min, while the feed rate values used were 0.1mm/rev and 0.3 mm/rev. The results of cryogenic and M QL application is compared with dry application. It was found that the cryogenic and M QL lubri-cooling techniques could represent a functional alternative to the common dry cutting application in order to implement a more effect ive high speed turning process. Higher cuttingparameters would be able to increase the productivity and reduce the production costs. The effects of the cutting parameters and on the variables object of study were investigated and the role of the different lubri-cooling conditions was assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Additive Manufacturing techniques are gaining more and more interest in various industrial fields due to the possibility of drastically reduce the material waste during the production processes, revolutionizing the standard scheme and strategies of the manufacturing processes. However, the metal parts shape produced, frequently do not satisfy the tolerances as well as the surface quality requirements. During the design phase, the finite element simulation results a fundamental tool to help the engineers in the correct decision of the most suitable process parameters, especially in manufacturing processes, in order to produce products of high quality. The aim of this work is to develop a 3D finite element model of semi-finishing turning operation of Ti6Al4V, produced via Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS). A customized user sub-routine was built-up in order to model the mechanical behavior of the material under machining operations to predict the main fundamental variables as cutting forces and temperature. Moreover, the machining induced alterations are also studied by the finite element model developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial concerns arise regarding the significant cost of cutting tools in machining process. In particular, their improper replacement policy can lead either to scraps, or to early tool replacements, which would waste fine tools. ISO 3685 provides the flank wear end-of-life criterion. Flank wear is also the nominal type of wear for longest tool lifetimes in optimal cutting conditions. Its consequences include bad surface roughness and dimensional discrepancies. In order to aid the replacement decision process, several tool condition monitoring techniques are suggested. Force signals were shown in the literature to be strongly linked with tools flank wear. It can therefore be assumed that force signals are highly relevant for monitoring the condition of cutting tools and providing decision-aid information in the framework of their maintenance and replacement. The objective of this work is to correlate tools flank wear with numerically computed force signals. The present work uses a Finite Element Model with a Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian approach. The geometry of the tool is changed for different runs of the model, in order to obtain results that are specific to a certain level of wear. The model is assessed by comparison with experimental data gathered earlier on fresh tools. Using the model at constant cutting parameters, force signals under different tool wear states are computed and provide force signals for each studied tool geometry. These signals are qualitatively compared with relevant data from the literature. At this point, no quantitative comparison could be performed on worn tools because the reviewed literature failed to provide similar studies in this material, either numerical or experimental. Therefore, further development of this work should include experimental campaigns aiming at collecting cutting forces signals and assessing the numerical results that were achieved through this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large number of studies, based on 3-axis end milling of free-form surfaces, seek to optimize tool path planning. Approaches try to optimize the machining time by reducing the total tool path length while respecting the criterion of the maximum scallop height. Theoretically, the tool path trajectories that remove the most material follow the directions in which the machined width is the largest. The free-form surface is often considered as a single machining area. Therefore, the optimization on the entire surface is limited. Indeed, it is difficult to define tool trajectories with optimal feed directions which generate largest machined widths. Another limiting point of previous approaches for effectively reduce machining time is the inadequate choice of the tool. Researchers use generally a spherical tool on the entire surface. However, the gains proposed by these different methods developed with these tools lead to relatively small time savings. Therefore, this study proposes a new method, using toroidal milling tools, for generating toolpaths in different regions on the machining surface. The surface is divided into several regions based on machining intervals. These intervals ensure that the effective radius of the tool, at each cutter-contact points on the surface, is always greater than the radius of the tool in an optimized feed direction. A parallel plane strategy is then used on the sub-surfaces with an optimal specific feed direction for each sub-surface. This method allows one to mill the entire surface with efficiency greater than with the use of a spherical tool. The proposed method is calculated and modeled using Maple software to find optimal regions and feed directions in each region. This new method is tested on a free-form surface. A comparison is made with a spherical cutter to show the significant gains obtained with a toroidal milling cutter. Comparisons with CAM software and experimental validations are also done. The results show the efficiency of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation aims at studying the tapping process of a three-layer stack constituted by two CFRP layers and a core plate in AA7075 aluminum alloy. The CFRP laminates were obtained by a pre-impregnated woven sample made up of T700 carbon fibers and a thermoset epoxy matrix. Tapping experiments were performed on a 5-axis machining center instrumented with a dynamometer to measure thrust force generated during process. A high-speed steel tool, coated with nanocomposite TiAlN, was used. According to the tool manufacturer recommendations, rotational speed and feed rate were 800 rpm and 1000 mm/min, respectively. Similar thrust force time history responses were obtained by tapping different holes, even though the vertical force increases with number of threaded holes. Furthermore, a quantitative evaluation of delamination at the periphery of entry holes was carried out. The delamination at the entry hole strongly increases with number of threaded holes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residual stresses appear in a component as a consequence of thermo-mechanical processes (e.g. ring rolling process) casting and heat treatments. When machining these kinds of components, distortions arise due to the redistribution of residual stresses due to the foregoing process history inside the material. If distortions are excessive, they can lead to a large number of scrap parts. Since dimensional accuracy can affect directly the engines efficiency, the dimensional control for aerospace components is a non-trivial issue. In this paper, the problem related to the distortions of large thin walled aeroengines components in nickel superalloys has been addressed. In order to estimate distortions on inner diameters after internal turning operations, a 3D Finite Element Method (FEM) analysis has been developed on a real industrial test case. All the process history, has been taken into account by developing FEM models of ring rolling process and heat treatments. Three different strategies of ring rolling process have been studied and the combination of related parameters which allows to obtain the best dimensional accuracy has been found. Furthermore, grain size evolution and recrystallization phenomena during manufacturing process has been numerically investigated using a semi empirical Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kohnogorov (JMAK) model. The volume subtractions have been simulated by boolean trimming: a one step and a multi step analysis have been performed. The multi-step procedure has allowed to choose the best material removal sequence in order to reduce machining distortions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, the approach used for the optimization of the process capabilities for Oil&Gas components machining will be described. These components are machined by turning of stainless steel castings workpieces. For this purpose, a proper Design Of Experiments (DOE) plan has been designed and executed: as output of the experimentation, data about tool wear have been collected. The DOE has been designed starting from the cutting speed and feed values recommended by the tools manufacturer; the depth of cut parameter has been maintained as a constant. Wear data has been obtained by means the observation of the tool flank wear under an optical microscope: the data acquisition has been carried out at regular intervals of working times. Through a statistical data and regression analysis, analytical models of the flank wear and the tool life have been obtained. The optimization approach used is a multi-objective optimization, which minimizes the production time and the number of cutting tools used, under the constraint on a defined flank wear level. The technique used to solve the optimization problem is a Multi Objective Particle Swarm Optimization (MOPS). The optimization results, validated by the execution of a further experimental campaign, highlighted the reliability of the work and confirmed the usability of the optimized process parameters and the potential benefit for the company. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon-fiber reinforced composites (CFRP) are attractive materials for lightweight designs in applications needing good mechanical properties. Machining of such materials can be harder than metals due to their anisotropic behavior. In addition, the combination of the fibers and resin mechanical properties must also include the fiber orientation. In the case of orthogonal cutting, the tool inclination, rake angle or cutting angle usually influence the cutting process but such a detailed investigation is currently lacking in a 2D configuration. To address this issue, a model has been developed with Abaqus Explicit including Hashin damage. This model has been validated with experimental results from the literature. The effects of the tool parameters (rake angle, clearance angle) on the tool cutting forces, CFRP chip morphology and surface damage are herewith studied. It is shown that 90° orientation for the CFRP increases the surface damage. The rake angle has a minimal effect on the cutting forces but modifies the chip formation times. The feed forces are increased with increasing rake angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the experiment needs, the own experiment plan was developed. The researches were carried out to determine the effect of variable, small feed on the chip’s shape. To provide orthogonal free cutting special specimens were prepared. Obtained chips were divided according to shapes and also scanned using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Conclusions from the experiments were given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shearing process such as the blanking of sheet metals has been used often to prepare workpieces for subsequent forming operations. The use of FEM simulation is increasing for investigation and optimizing the blanking process. In the current literature a blanking FEM simulations for the limited capability and large computational cost of the three dimensional (3D) analysis has been largely limited to two dimensional (2D) plane axis-symmetry problems. However, a significant progress in modelling which takes into account the influence of real material (e.g. microstructure of the material), physical and technological conditions can be obtained by using 3D numerical analysis methods in this area. The objective of this paper is to present 3D finite element analysis of the ductile fracture, strain distribution and stress in blanking process with the assumption geometrical and physical nonlinearities. The physical, mathematical and computer model of the process are elaborated. Dynamic effects, mechanical coupling, constitutive damage law and contact friction are taken into account. The application in ANSYS/LS-DYNA program is elaborated. The effect of the main process parameter a blanking clearance on the deformation of 1018 steel and quality of the blank’s sheared edge is analyzed. The results of computer simulations can be used to forecasting quality of the final parts optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For metallic materials, fabrication processes (e.g. machining and forging) may involve important strain rates and high temperatures. For such severe loading conditions, the development of damage is often associated with the formation of Adiabatic Shear Bands (ASB). In this work, the impact of loading conditions (strain rate, temperature) on the formation of ASB in a beta rich titanium alloy (Ti17) is investigated. In this perspective, uniaxial compression tests have been conducted on cylindrical samples with a Gleeble-3500 thermo-mechanical simulator at temperatures ranging from 25°C to 800°C and strain rates ranging from 0.1 to 50 s−1 with axial strains of approximately 50 %. According to the experimental results, the flow curves exhibit hardening from 25°C to 550°C and softening from 600°C to 800°C. When looking at the evolution of flow stress, the strain rate sensitivity is found to increase significantly with increasing temperatures. Also, adiabatic shear bands are preferably observed for high strain rates and low temperatures. The formation of ASB thus seems to be quite dependent on the evolution of the strain rate sensitivity of Ti17. Finally, metallographic observations have been carried out to better understand the process leading to the formation of ASB. Such observations demonstrate that the average width of ASB increases with increasing temperatures and decreasing strain rates. However, such observations do not allow for identifying whether some specific microstructural transformations (e.g recrystallization or phase transformation) could explain the formation of ASB or not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aircraft structures are exposed to many loads during their working lifespan. Every particular action made during a flight is composed of a series of air movements which generate various aircraft loads. The most rigorous requirement which modern aircraft structures must fulfill is to maintain their high durability and reliability. This requirement involves taking many restrictions into account during the aircraft design process. The most important factor is the structure’s overall mass, which has a crucial impact on both utility properties and cost-effectiveness. This makes aircraft one of the most complex results of modern technology. Additionally, there is currently an increasing utilization of high strength aluminum alloys, which requires the implementation of new manufacturing processes. High Speed Machining technology (HSM) is currently one of the most important machining technologies used in the aviation industry, especially in the machining of aluminium alloys. The primary difference between HSM and other milling techniques is the ability to select cutting parameters – depth of the cut layer, feed rate, and cutting speed in order to simultaneously ensure high quality, precision of the machined surface, and high machining efficiency, all of which shorten the manufacturing process of the integral components. In this paper, the authors explain the implementation of the HSM method in integral aircraft constructions. It presents the method of the airframe manufacturing method, and the final results. The HSM method is compared to the previous method where all subcomponents were manufactured by bending and forming processes, and then, they were joined by riveting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study a tool with interchangeable inserts of sintered carbides coated with AlTiN were used to mill a duplex stainless steel with trochoidal strategies. Cutting speed range from 120 to 300 m/min were used and t he evaluation of tool deterioration and tool life was made according international standard ISO 8688-1. It was observed a progressive development of a flank wear and a cumulative cyclic process of localized adhesion of the chip to the cutting edge, followed by chipping, loss of the coating and substrate exposure. The tool life reached a maximum of 35 min. for cutting speed of 120 m/min. However, it was possible to maintain a tool life of 20-25 minutes when the cutting speed was increased up to 240 m/min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with micro milling cutting process focusing the attention on tool run-out measurement. In fact, among the effects of the scale reduction from macro to micro (i.e., size effects) tool run-out plays an important role. This research is aimed at developing an easy and reliable method to measure tool run-out in micro milling based on experimental tests and an analytical model. From an Industry 4.0 perspective this measuring strategy can be integrated into an adaptive system for controlling cutting forces, with the objective of improving the production quality, the process stability, reducing at the same time the tool wear and the machining costs. The proposed procedure estimates the tool run-out parameters from the tool diameter, the channel width, and the phase angle between the cutting edges. The cutting edge phase measurement is based on the force signal analysis. The developed procedure has been tested on data coming from micro milling experimental tests performed on a Ti6Al4V sample. The results showed that the developed procedure can be successfully used for tool run-out estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes the role of laser beam polarization and deflection on quality of laser beam machined parts made of difficult to cut materials (used for cutting tools). Application of efficient and precise cutting tool (laser beam) has significant impact on preparation and finishing operations of cutting tools for aviation part manufacturing. Understanding the phenomena occurring in the polarized light laser cutting gave possibility to design, build and test opto-mechanical instrumentation to control and maintain process parameters and conditions. The research was carried within INNOLOT program funded by Polish National Centre for Research and Development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, in the automotive industry dual phase (DP) steels are extensively used in the production of various structural parts due to their superior mechanical properties. Hole-flanging of such steels due to simultaneous bending and stretching of sheet metal, is complex and associated with some issues such as strain and strain rate localization, development of micro-cracks, inhomogeneous sheet thinning, etc. In this study an attempt is made to improve the formability of DP sheets, by localized Laser heating. The Laser beam was oscillated in circular pattern rapidly around the pre-hole, blanked prior to the flanging process. In order to investigate formability of DP steel (DP1000), several uniaxial tensile tests were conducted from quasi to intermediate strain rates at different temperatures in warm regime. Additionally, experimentally acquired temperature and strain rate-dependent flow curves were fed into thermomechanical finite element (FE) simulation of the hole-flanging process using the commercial FE software ABAQUS/Explicit. Several FE simulations were performed in order to evaluate the effect of blank’s initial temperature and punch speed on deformation localization, stress evolution and temperature distribution in DP1000 sheets during warm hole-flanging process. The experimental and numerical analyses revealed that prescribing a distribution of initial temperature between 300 to 400 °C to the blank and setting a punch speed that accommodates strain rate range of 1 to 5 s-1 in the blank, provides the highest strain hardening capacity in the considered rate and temperature regimes for DP1000. This is in fact largely due to the dynamic strain aging (DSA) effect which occurs due to pinning of mobile dislocations by interstitial solute atoms, particularly at elevated temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is investigating the effect of the laser surface melting of 316L stainless steel cylindrical samples on the surface residual stresses and the corrosion resistance. A high speed CO2 laser beam with power range of 300-500 W was used in pulse mode to initiate the surface melting in an argon and argon-nitrogen atmosphere. The produced samples were cross sectioned and the elastic modulus and nano-hardness test were carried out showing no alteration between the modified and the bulk material. A noticeable degradation in the corrosion resistance was found due to the formation of the chromium carbide and chromium nitride which act as electrolytic cells in addition to the disruption of the free chromium content at the melted zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the main parameters of laser surface texturing of polymeric substrates have been studied. The final aim of the texturing is to increase the performance of bonded joints of grey-pigmented polypropylene substrates. The experimental investigation was carried out starting from the identification of the most effective treatment parameters, in order to achieve a good texture without compromising the characteristics of the bulk material. For each of these parameters, three values were individuated and 27 sets of samples were realised. The surface treatment was analysed and related to the mechanical characteristics of the bonded joints performing lap-shear tests. A statistical analysis in order to find the most influential parameter completed the work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surface of structural components is usually subjected to higher stresses, greater wear or fatigue damage, and more direct environmental exposure than the inner parts. For this reason, the interest to improve superficial properties of items is constantly increasing in different fields as automotive, electronic, biomedical, etc. Different approaches can be used to achieve this goal: case hardening by means of superficial heat treatments like carburizing or nitriding, deposition of thin or thick coatings, roughness modification, etc. Between the available technologies to modify components surface, Laser Surface Texturing (LST) has already been recognized in the last decade as a process, which improves the tribological properties of various parts. Based on these considerations the aim of the present research work was to realize a controlled laser texture on a Diamond-like Carbon (DLC) thin coating (about 3 µm thick) without damaging both the coating itself and the substrate. In particular, the effect of laser process parameters as marking speed and loop cycle were investigated in terms of texture features modifications. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses of the texture were executed by using a scanning electron microscope and a laser probe system to select the proper laser parameters. Moreover, the effect of the selected texture on the DLC nanohardness, adhesion and wear behavior was pointed out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes the role of laser beam polarization on quality of laser beam machined cutting tool edge. In micromachining the preparation of the cutting tools in play a key role on dimensional accuracy, sharpness and the quality of the cutting edges. In order to assure quality and dimensional accuracy of the cutting tool edge it is necessary to apply laser polarization control. In the research diode pumped Nd:YAG 532nm pulse laser was applied. Laser beam polarization used in the research was linear (horizontal, vertical). The goal of the carried out research was to describe impact of laser beam polarization on efficiency of the cutting process and quality of machined parts (edge, surface) made of polycrystalline diamond (PCD) and cubic boron nitride (cBN). Application of precise cutting tool in micromachining has significant impact on the minimum uncut chip thickness and quality of the parts. The research was carried within the INNOLOT program funded by the National Centre for Research and Development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed at characterizing the residual stresses (RS) distribution of a Dual Phase Steel (DP600) undergoing a Laser Beam Welding (LBW) with two different laser parameters. The RS in the ferritic phase have been experimentally determined by the use of the neutrons diffraction technique. The results confirmed a gradient of RS among different zones both on the top and below surfaces but also through the thickness of the fusion zone. Low compressive stresses were observed in the Base Metal (BM) close to the Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) whereas high tensile stresses were observed in the Fusion Zone (FZ). Numerical results showed a difference in the RS distribution depending on the model used. In the end, it appears that the high temperature gradient, specific to the laser beam, is the main factor governing the RS. Our results suggest as well that the approach regarding the RS should consider not only the temperature but also process parameters. When comparing simulation results with experimental data, the values converge well in some zones, in particular the FZ and the others less. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are mainly two parameters affecting high temperature interface bonding: deformation and diffusion. To study these two parameters, interface bonding of SA508-3 bainitic steel at 1100°C are simulated by gleeble3500 thermal simulator. The results show that interface of SA508-3 steel can be bonded under deformation and high temperature. For a specimen pressed at 1100°C without further high temperature diffusion, a reduction ratio of 30% can make the interface begun to bond, but the interface is still part of the grain boundary and small grains exist near the interface. When reduction ratio reaches 50%, the interface can be completely bonded and the microstructure near the interface is the same as that of the base material. When deformation is small, long time diffusion can also help the interface bonding. The results show that when the diffusion time is long enough, the interface under small deformation can also be bonded. For a specimen holding for 24h at 1100°C, only 13% reduction ratio is enough for interface bonding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing complex structures with the demand for weight reduction leads directly to a multi-material concept. This mixture has to be joined securely and welding, mechanical joining and the usage of adhesives are commonly used for that purpose. Sometimes also a mix of at least two materials is useful to combine the individual advantages. The challenge is the non-destructive testing of these connections because destructive testing requires a lot of preparation and expensive testing equipment. The authors show a testing method by measuring and analysing the energy dissipation in mechanical joints. Known methods are radiography, thermography and ultrasound testing. Unfortunately, the usage of these methods is difficult and often not usable in fibre-reinforced-plastics. The presented approach measures the propagation of the elastic strain wave through the joint. A defined impact strain is detected with by strain-gauges whereby the transmitter is located on one side of the joint and the receiver on the other, respectively. Because of different mechanisms, energy dissipates by passing the joint areas. Main reasons are damping caused by friction and material specific damping. Insufficient performed joints lead to an effect especially in the friction damping. By the measurement of the different strains and the resulting energy loss a statement to the connection quality is given. The possible defect during the execution of the joint can be identified by the energy loss and strain vs. time curve. After the description of the method, the authors present the results of energy dissipation measurements at a bolted assembly with different locking torques. By the adjustable tightening torques for the screw connections easily a variation of the contact pressure can be applied and analysed afterwards. The outlook will give a statement for the usability for other mechanical joints and fibre-reinforced-plastics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a numerical simulation and experimental test of the induction welding of continuous fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composites (CFRTPCs) was provided. The thermoplastic Polyamide 66 (PA66) with carbon fiber fabric was used. Using a dedicated software (JMag Designer), the influence of the fundamental process parameters such as temperature, current and holding time was investigated. In order to validate the results of the simulations, and therefore the numerical model used, experimental tests were carried out, and the temperature values measured during the tests were compared with the aid of an optical pyrometer, with those provided by the numerical simulation. The mechanical properties of the welded joints were evaluated by single lap shear tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrical connectors mostly have silver contacts joined by riveting. In order to reduce costs, the core of the contact rivet can be replaced with cheaper material, e.g. copper. There is a wide range of commercially available bimetallic (silver-copper) rivets on the market for the production of contacts. Following that, new conditions in the riveting process are created because the bi-metal object is riveted. In the analyzed example, it is a small size object, which can be placed on the border of microforming. Based on the FEM modeling of the load process of bimetallic rivets with different material distributions, the desired distribution was chosen and the choice was justified. Possible material distributions were parameterized with two parameters referring to desirable distribution characteristics. The parameter: Coefficient of Mutual Interactions of Plastic Deformations and the method of its determination have been proposed. The parameter is determined based of two-parameter stress-strain curves and is a function of these parameters and the range of equivalent strains occurring in the analyzed process. The proposed method was used for the upsetting process of the bimetallic head of the electrical contact. A nomogram was established to predict the distribution of materials in the head of the rivet and the appropriate selection of a pair of materials to achieve the desired distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminium alloys, widely used in aeronautics, are increasingly involved in the automotive industry due to the good relationship between mechanical strength and specific weight. The lightening of the structures is the first objective, which allows the decreasing in the weight in motion. The use of aluminium alloys has also seen the introduction of the Friction Stir Welding (FSW) technique for the production of structural overlapping joints. FSW allows us to weld overlap joints free from defects, but with the presence of a structural notch further aggravated by the presence of a “hook” defect near the edge of the weld. Furthermore, FSW presents a weld penetration area connected to the tool geometry and penetration. The experimental activity will be focused on the combination of two different joining techniques, which can synergistically improve the final joint resistance. In particular, the welding and bonding process most commonly known as weld-bonding is defined as a hybrid process, as it combines two different junction processes. In this paper we analyse FSWelded AA6082 aluminium alloy overlapped joint with the aim of quantitatively evaluating the improvement provided by the presence of an epoxy adhesive between the plates. After optimising the weld-bonding process, the mechanical behaviour of welded joints will be analysed by static and dynamic tests. The presence of the adhesive should limit the negative effect of the structural notch inevitable in a FSW overlapped joint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For multi-material applications in automotive industry, a cast aluminium (upper layer) and dual-phase steel (lower layer) superposition joined with High-Speed Nailing process is investigated through an experimental vs numerical framework. Using FORGE® finite-element software, results from joining simulations have been inserted into models in charge of nailed-joint mechanical testings. Numerical Shear and Cross-tensile tests are compared to experimental ones to discuss discrepancy and possible improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present contribution proposes a new approach for joining sheet metal and fiber reinforced composites. The joining process draws upon a Friction Stir Forming (FSF) process, which is performed on the metal sheet to produce slender pins. These pins are used to pierce through the composite. Joining is complete by forming a locking head out of the part if the pin sticks out of the composite. Pins of different diameters and lengths were produced from EN AW-1050 material, which were joined to glass fiber reinforced polyamide-6. The strength of the joint has been experimentally tested in order to understand the effect of the process temperature on the pins strength and therefore on the joining. The results demonstrate the feasibility of this new technique, which uses no excess material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Friction Rivecting is a quite new joining process to connect multi-material structures. In brief, a metallic rivet is dipped rotating inside matrixes, usually made of plastics, increasing its original diameter. The use of high-performance plastics is more suitable being their higher mechanical and thermal properties important to avoid material degradation and to allow strong part connections. High-speed friction welding system has been usually used to perform the process. In the work here proposed, the joints have been achieved by means of a traditional milling machine and the attention has been focused on a widely used engineering plastic, i.e. polyamide 6 (PA6) with and without glass fiber reinforcement. A specific speed multiplier has been attached into the mandrel of the used machine to increase the reachable rotational speed. Moreover, rivets made of Titanium Grade 2 and of an Aluminum Alloy, the AA-6060, are utilized. The influence that the heating and the forging length can have on the quality of the obtained junctions, considering a fixed joining depth, has been tested and investigated. The performed connections have been judged by tensile tests, which were set to quantify the maximum strength of the joints for a transverse speed of 1,0 mm/min. Barreling effect can be observed close to the tip, which loses the initial shape of a cylinder characterized by straight vertical walls. Finally, the possible degradation of the polymer, due to temperature increment, has been also evaluated close to the working zone. According to that, it has to be highlighted that the process needs a heating balance, which is necessary to get sound joints. The compromise has, on one side, to allow the rivet penetration and deformation, and on the other side, to avoid the degradation of the polymer, which would affect its properties and a proper rivet deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study the manufacture of aluminium-steel blanks by cold pressure welding and their preparation for a welding process through electrochemical surface treatment are investigated and discussed. The cold pressure welding process was done with an incremental rolling tool that allows for the partial pressure welding of two blanks along a prepared path. The influence of the surface preparation by electrochemical deposition of bond promoting organosilane-based agents and roughening on a nano-scale is investigated and compared to conventional surface treatments. Coating the surfaces with a thin organosilane-based film incorporating specific functional groups should promote additional bonding between the mating oxide layers; its influence on the total weld strength is studied. Pressure welding requires suitable process strategies, and the current advances in the proposed incremental rolling process for the combination of mild steel and aluminium are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the demand of lightweight design in the automotive industry, not only the wall-thicknesses of tubular components of the chassis or spaceframe are continuously decreased. Also the thicknesses of exhaust system parts are reduced to save material and mass. However, thinner tubular parts bring about additional challenges in joining. Welding or brazing methods, which are utilized in joining tubes with specific requirements concerning leak tightness, are sensitive to the gap between the joining partners. Furthermore, a large joining area is required to ensure the durability of the joint. The introduction of a forming step in the assembled state prior to thermal joining can define and control the gap for subsequent brazing or welding. The mechanical pre-joint resulting from the previously described calibration step also results in easier handling of the tubes prior to thermal joining. In the presented investigation, a spinning process is utilized to produce force-fit joints of varying lengths and diameter reduction and form-fit joints with varying geometrical attributes. The spinning process facilitates a high formability and geometrical flexibility, while at the achievable precision is high and the process forces are low. The strength of the joints is used to evaluate the joint quality. Finally, a comparison between joints produced by forming with subsequent brazing and original tube is conducted, which presents the high performance of the developed procedure for forming assisted thermal joining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of such investigation is the study in depth of the forming phase of welds realized on three sheet metal blanks in aluminium alloys by friction stir lap welding. Such forming phase was performed by upsetting at different constant forming temperatures varying from 200°C to 350°C with constant ram velocities of 0.01 and 0.1 mm/s. The temperature values were obtained by the use of heating strips applied on the upper tool and on the lower tool. It was observed an increase in the friction factor, acting at the upsetting tool-workpiece interface, with increasing temperature that is very useful in producing the required localized deformation with which to improve the weld. It was also confirmed that the forming phase allows to realize a required thickness in the weld area allowing to neglect the surficial perturbation produced by the friction stir welding tool shoulder. The obtained thickness could be subjected to springback when too low temperatures are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Up to now, the mechanism of interface bonding is still not fully understood. This work presents interfacial characteristics of 316LN stainless steel bonding joint after cold compression bonding with subsequent annealing. EBSD analysis shows that fine recrystallization grains preferentially appear near the bonding interface and grow towards both sides of the interface. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that initial cold compression bonding disintegrates the native oxide scales and brings pristine metal from both sides of the interface come into intimate contact, while the broken oxide particles are remained at the original interface. The results indicate that partial bonding can be achieved by cold compression bonding with post-annealing treatment and recrystallization firstly occurs along the bonding interface. However, the interfacial oxides impede the recrystallization grains step over the interface and hinder the complete healing of the bonding interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integral blow moulding (IBM) as a joining technology of carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastic (CFR-TP) hollow profiles with metallic load introduction elements enables significant cycle time reduction by shortening of the process chain. As the composite part is joined to the metallic part during its consolidation process subsequent joining steps are omitted. In combination with a multi-scale structured load introduction element its form closure function enables to pass very high loads and is capable to achieve high degrees of material utilization. This paper first shows the process set-up utilizing thermoplastic tape braided preforms and two-staged press and internal hydro formed load introduction elements. Second focuses on heating technologies and process optimization. Aiming at cycle time reduction convection and induction heating in regard to the resulting product quality is inspected by photo micrographs and computer tomographic scans. Concluding remarks give final recommendations for the process design in regard to the structural design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Friction Stir Consolidation (FSC) is a solid-state process that results in consolidation of metal powders or chips producing solid billet through severe plastic deformation and the solid-state bonding phenomena. This process can be used both for primary production and for metal scrap recycling. During the FSC process, a rotating die is plunged into a hollow chamber containing the finely divided, unconsolidated material to be processed. In this paper, a FEM numerical model for the prediction of the quality of the consolidated billet is presented. In particular, a dedicated bonding criterion that takes into account the peculiar process mechanics of this innovative technology is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Restrictions in pollutant emissions dictated at the European Commission level in the past few years have urged mass production car manufacturers to engage rapidly several strategies in order to reduce significantly the energy consumption of their vehicles. One of the most relevant taken action is light-weighting of body in white (BIW) structures, concretely visible with the increased introduction of polymer-based composite materials reinforced by carbon/glass fibers. However, the design and manufacturing of such “hybrid” structures is limiting the use of conventional assembly techniques like resistance spot welding (RSW) which are not transferable as they are for polymer-metal joining. This research aims at developing a joining technique that would eventually enable the assembly of a sheet molding compound (SMC) polyester thermoset-made component on a structure composed of several high strength steel grades. The state of the art of polymer-metal joining techniques highlighted the few ones potentially able to respond to the industrial challenge, which are: structural bonding, self-piercing riveting (SPR), direct laser joining and friction spot welding (FSpW). In this study, the promising SPR technique is investigated. Modelling of SPR process in the case of polymer-metal joining was performed through the building of a 2D axisymmetric FE model using the commercial code Abaqus CAE 6.10-1. Details of the numerical approach are presented with a particular attention to the composite sheet for which Mori-Tanaka’s homogenization method is used in order to estimate overall mechanical properties. Large deformations induced by the riveting process are enabled with the use of a mixed finite element formulation ALE (arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian). FE model predictions are compared with experimental data followed by a discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-material components open up new possibilities for functional design. Such components combine beneficial physical properties of different materials in a single component as for instance chemical resistance, high strength or low density. The challenge is a reliable bond between both materials to enable a long term usage. This paper deals with a form closure connection to ensure a solid connection between steel strips and high pressure die cast aluminium. Two different sizes of channel structures with width ratios of 1.0 and 1.35 are produced on a steel sheet. An ensuing flat rolling pass is performed to create undercuts with a width of up to 50 µm, enabling an interlocking of the molten aluminium in the concluding casting process. For both rolling processes the resulting geometry is analysed depending on the thickness reduction. In a subsequent high pressure die casting process, aluminium is applied resulting in a complete form filling for the coarser structure. Comparing structures with and without undercuts, only structures suited with undercuts remain gap-free after solidification contraction. The finer structure could not be filled completely; nevertheless these structures result in shear strength of up to 45 MPa transversal to the channel-direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on previous research results concerning the radial-axial ring rolling process of flat rings, this paper details an innovative approach for the determination of the stable forming conditions to successfully simulate the radial ring rolling process of L-shape profiled rings. In addition to that, an analytical model for the estimation of the geometrical expansion of L-shape rings from its initial flat ring preform is proposed and validated by comparing its results with those of numerical simulations. By utilizing the proposed approach, steady forming conditions could be achieved, granting a uniform expansion of the ring throughout the process for all of the six tested cases of rings having the final outer diameter of the flange ranging from 545mm and 1440mm. The validation of the proposed approach allowed concluding that the geometrical expansion of the ring, as estimated by the proposed analytical model, is in good agreement with the results of the numerical simulation, with a maximum error of 2.18%, in the estimation of the ring wall diameter, 1.42% of the ring flange diameter and 1.87% for the estimation of the inner diameter of the ring, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-strength low-alloy steel (HSLA) has been widely used in many applications involving automobiles, aerospace, construction, and oil and gas pipelines due to their enhanced mechanical and chemical properties. One of the most critical elements used to improve these properties is Aluminium. This work will explore the effect of Al content on the corrosion behaviour of hot rolled high-strength low-alloy steel as a function of grain size. The method of investigation employed was weight loss technique. It was obvious that the increase in Al content enhanced corrosion resistance through refinement of grain size obtained through AlN precipitation by pinning grain boundaries and hindering their growth during solidification which was found to be beneficial in reducing corrosion rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]