A Study on Cutting Force in Micro End Milling with Ultrasonic Vibration

The applications of micro end milling have been gradually broadened to meet the ever-increasing demands for micro parts. In micro milling, premature tool failure and short service life are major problems. In this study, micro end milling with ultrasonic vibration in normal direction is investigated. Kinematical analysis is done to describe the exact trajectory of the tool tip when vibration is applied. Based on which, an analytical model of chip formation is proposed. By accurate calculation of instantaneous chip thickness, the cutting forces in micro end milling with and without ultrasonic vibration are predicted and verified by a slot-milling experiment. As a result, it is found that ultrasonic vibration in normal direction is helpful when reducing the cutting force owing to intermittent cutting effect.