Tool Failure Analysis in High Speed Milling of Titanium Alloys

In high speed milling of titanium alloys the high rate of tool failure is the main reason for its high manufacturing cost. In this study,fractured tools which were used in a titanium alloys 5-axis milling process have been observed both in the macro scale using a PG-1000 light microscope and in the micro scale using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) respectively. These observations indicate that most of these tool fractures are the result of tool chipping. Further analysis of each chipping event has shown that beachmarks emanate from points on the cutting edge. This visual evidence indicates that the cutting edge is failing in fatigue due to cyclical mechanical and/or thermal stresses. Initial analyses explaining some of the outlying conditions for this phenomenon are discussed. Future analysis regarding determining the underlying causes of the fatigue phenomenon is then outlined.