Effect of pulsed laser on chips formation and surface morphology of SiCp/ Al during turning

SiCp/Al is widely used in aerospace, military weapons, electronic packaging and other fields. However, SiCp/Al processing mechanism is complicated due to the existence of SiC particles. Pulsed laser assisted machining technology can better control the thermal diffusion in the machining area. Therefore, this paper applied a pulsed laser during the turning process, and the effect of pulsed laser on SiCp/Al turning is investigated. Previously, the laser thermal effect of SiCp/Al was simulated to analyze the laser interaction with the workpiece surface. This analysis was crucial for optimizing the selection of parameters for the subsequent turning process. Additionally, the turning force was measured during the pulsed laser assisted turning (PLAT) process applied to SiCp/Al. The results indicated that PLAT significantly reduced turning force, enhancing machining efficiency of the composites. Meanwhile, the chip morphology of CT and PLAT was compared, and it was found that PLAT could produce spiral chips. Finally, the effect of PLAT on surface morphology was studied, it was found that PLAT could reduce the surface damage, and the resulting short spiral crystal chips could improve the surface morphology of SiCp/Al. The experimental results have important practical value for the development of high-performance parts manufacturing in modern industry.