Surface integrity and wear evolution of high strength aluminum alloy after high-speed oblique cutting

In this paper, we present an experimental study on the surface frictional wear mechanism of the high-strength aluminum alloy after high-speed milling. We use a surface profilometer and an X-ray stress tester to characterize the milled surface integrity of the material, and UMT-3 friction testing machine to obtain its surface roughness, oxygen content, hardness, and wear morphology during different wear stages. The results show that milling-induced residual tensile stress makes the cut surface more prone to fatigue cracking and consequently abrasive wear in the initial wear stage. The larger the angle between the friction pair movement direction, the greater the chance of adhesive wear and abrasive wear. A complete friction stage pattern can be obtained at a high load (15 N) and a low sliding speed (0.6 mm/s). The friction pair enters a stable wear stage after 20 sliding cycles. Work hardening constitutes the main driver of stable wear.