Microstructure refinement and work hardening in a machined surface layer induced by turning Inconel 718 super alloy

The microstructural changes in the machined surface layer of Ni-based super alloys essentially determine the final performance of the structural components of aerospace engines in which these alloys are used.In this work,multiscale metallurgical observations using scanning electron microscopy,electron-backscatter diffraction microscopy,and transmission electron microscopy were conducted to quantitatively characterize the microstructure of the machined subsurface.Next,to elucidate the factors that affect the formation of the refinement microstructure,the distributions of the deformation parameters(strain,strain rate,and temperature) in the machined subsurface were analyzed.A dislocation–twin interaction dynamic recrystallization mechanism for grain refinement during machining of Inconel 718 is proposed.Furthermore,microhardness evolution induced by grain refinement in the machined surface is evaluated.The results suggest that the gradient microstructure and the work hardening can be optimized by controlling the cutting parameters during turning of Inconel 718.

Prediction of temperature field in machined workpiece surface during the cutting of Inconel 718 coated with surface-active media

The heat generated and accumulated on the machined surface of an Inconel 718 workpiece causes thermal damage during the cutting process.Surface-active media with high thermal conductivity coated on the workpiece to be machined may have the potential to reduce the generation of cutting heat.In this study,a theoretical model for predicting the instantaneous machined surface temperature field is proposed for surface-active thermal conductive medium(SACM)-assisted cutting based on the finite element and Fourier heat transfer theories.Orthogonal cutting experiments were performed to verify the results predicted using the proposed surface-temperature field model.Three SACMs with various thermal conductivities were used to coat Inconel 718 surface to be machined.Thermocouples embedded into the workpiece were used to measure the cutting temperature at different points on the machined workpiece surface during the cutting process.The experimental results were in agreement with the predicted temperatures,and the maximum error between the experimental results and predicted temperatures was approximately 9.5%.The cutting temperature on the machined surface decreased with an increase in the thermal conductivity of the SACM.The graphene SACM with high thermal conductivity can effectively reduce the temperature from 542℃ to 402℃,which corresponds to a reduction of approximately 26%.The temperature reduction due to SACM decreases with an increase in the distance between the temperature prediction point and machined workpiece surface.In conclusion,the cutting temperatures on the machined workpiece surface can be reduced by coating with SACM.

Effects of process parameters on periodic impact force exerting on cutting tool in ultrasonic vibration-assisted oblique turning

During ultrasonic vibration-assisted machining,the large impact force induced by tool-workpiece reengagement(TWR)is an important factor that affects tool chipping.However,mechanical analysis into process factors that affect the impact force and their influencing mechanisms are insufficient.Herein,a prediction model for the instantaneous cutting force during both TWR and the stable turning process,which depends on the process parameters and material properties,is firstly proposed based on the kinematic and dynamic analysis of ultrasonic vibration-assisted oblique turning(UVAOT).The results calculated using the developed cutting force model agree well with the experimental results presented in the literature.Next,the linear change law of the instantaneous cutting force with cutting time during the actual TWR is clarified using the proposed model.The effect of the UVAOT process parameters on the average impact force during the periodic TWR process is discussed,and the influence mechanism is analyzed from the perspective of mechanics.A positive linear correlation is discovered between the feed speed and average impact force.The ultrasonic amplitude and cutting speed do not significantly affect the average impact force of the new sharp cutting tools.These findings are consistent with the experimental observations of tool chipping and are applicable to select process parameters for reducing tool chipping during UVAOT.