Finite Element Analysis of Surface Residual Stress of Titanium Alloy TC4 Based on High Speed Cutting

Due to the complex structures of aviation products made of titanium alloy TC4, residual stress can be generated by the high speed cutting process at their surface which has an important influence on their fatigue strength and also service life. Therefore, in this paper, a 3D finite element model is built to analyze the cutting process with different tool parameters and to investigate the residual stress inside the processed surface. By the numerical study, when the cutting speed is 140 m/min, the residual tensile stress can be generated in the inner cutting surface, while the compressive residual stress in the outer cutting surface. Residual compressive stress can be enhanced by choosing the smaller tool rake angle, the bigger tool relief angle and the bigger cutting edge radius properly.