INVESTIGATION ON THE TOOL WEAR MODEL AND EQUIVALENT TOOL LIFE IN END MILLING TITANIUM ALLOY TI6AL4V

Titanium alloys are widely utilized in aerospace thanks to their excellent combination of high-specific strength, fracture, corrosion resistance characteristics, etc. However, titanium alloys are difficult-to-machine materials. Tool wear is thus of great importance to understand and quantitatively predict tool life. In this study, the wear of coated carbide tool in milling Ti-6-Al-4V alloy was assessed by characterization of the worn tool cutting edge. Furthermore, a tool wear model for end milling cutter is established with considering the joint effect of cutting speed and feed rate for characterizing tool wear process and predicting tool wear. Based on the proposed tool wear model equivalent tool life is put forward to evaluate cutting tool life under different cutting conditions. The modelling process of tool wear is given and discussed according to the specific conditions. Experimental work and validation are performed for coated carbide tool milling Ti-6Al-4V alloy.