University of Rio de Janeiro – Brazil

Mechanical Engineering Department

Micro milling cutting forces on

machining aluminum alloy
Prof. Anna Carla Araujo
anna@mecanica.ufrj.br
Grad. Students:
Adriane Mougo and Fabio Campos
Mechanical Engineering Department, COPPE/UFRJ,
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil;  

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Research Projects
Ê  Thread Milling (Process and Modeling)
Ê  Thread Milling Tool Optimization
Ê  Thread Quality
Ê  Manufacturing of thread implants in
Biomaterials and SMA
Ê  Manufacturing of thread pieces for Oil
Drilling

Ê  Cutting Dynamics (Chatter Prediction)

Ê  Micromachining
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Outline
Ê  Motivation and Objective

Ê  Methodology

Ê  Analytical Model

Ê  Micromilling Experiments

Ê  Results

Ê  Conclusions

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Motivation
—  Supply micro-parts to Medical Research in UFRJ and
consulting for micro-fluids area (Roughness, Burrs,
Quality, etc.)

—  Study the micro milling force behaviour on Titanium

alloys:

- NiTi SMA materials,

-  Ti6Al4V
-  Pure Ti with very small grain sizes
—  Study the micro milling forces on Special Stainless
steels (Dual Phase Materials used in Deep Oil Drilling) –
Include inhomogeneity of grains
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Article Objective
—  First effort on Experimental Micro-manufacturing in our
laboratory (our micro-machine-tool and mini-dyn recent
installed – Jan/2013!)

—  Analyse the cutting forces calculated using aluminum

alloy specific pressure taken from literature and
considering homogenous metal (no grain stratification)

—  Acquire cutting forces on micro milling using different

chip thickness

—  Comparison with the analytical results

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Cutting Models for MicroMilling

The knowledge of cutting forces is fundamental for tool optimization
and it is very important to avoid tool breakage and instability. In micro
milling, those factors are even more relevant due to the high cost of
tools, that breaks very easily.

Mechanistic Models (Specific Cutting Pressure)

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Chip Thickness in Micromilling

—  Martelloti Equation for Milling

—  Bao Equation for Micro-Milling

—  Bao Equation for Micro-Milling with run-out

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Minimum Chip Thichness - Ploughing

—  Ploughing effect under minimum uncut chip thickness, which was
modeled by different approaches. Liu et al. [19] modeled
considering analytical model using slip line theory and Johnson-
Cook model.

—  Malekian et al calculated the minimum chip thickness on

micromilling of aluminium (based on the edge radius and on a
critical angle).

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Laboratory Equipment Setup

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Laboratory Equipment Setup

—  The micro machine used on the experiments was the CNC
Mini Mill/GX from Minitech Machinery Corporation.

—  The machine uses NSK 60K RPM Precision Spindle with 3
Axis Controller.

—  Its standard resolution is 0.78125µm using dual linear ball

bearing slides on each axis, sealed for the table mechanism
(THK linear slides - RSR15 series).

—  The drive mechanism THK Ball Screw actuator - preloaded

and sealed.

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Laboratory Equipment Setup

—  A mini-dynamometer is used for cutting force measurement
(KISTLER 9256C2 + charge amplifier 5070 + data acquisition
board NI USB 6251).

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Workpiece and Cutting Tool

—  The workpiece material selected for the experiments is an
aluminum alloy (Al 6351-T6: an AlMgSi alloy).

—  The overall workpiece dimensions are 47x50x15 mm, in

which a small area is faced to be subjected to the
experimental machining.
—  It was used a carbide micro-milling tool, with D=0.381 mm
and 1.143 mm flute length.

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Using those SEM images,

the helix angle, point
radius and
cutting edge radius is
measured.

The tool has point tip

radius of 2,5µm, cutting
edge radius of 0,5µm and
β=30° helix angle.

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Cutting Conditions
—  Workpiece faced using a 3mm milling tool, Vc=94.2m/min
and feed rate=200 mm/min

—  The axial depth of cut chosen is 20 times higher then the
point radius, 100µm. The secondary cutting edge was
neglected.
—  Considering the cutting edge radius of 0,5µm, three levels
for ft values were planned for running tests from 1-5µm
(10x higher then the radius). Choice made to use cutting
models that does not considers ploughing as the main
component of the cutting force.

—  Replicates for each level and 20 rev are analyzed.

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Cutting Conditions

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Cutting Force Measurements

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Kres [ft ] = (0.3162/ft + 182.5)/0.1

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Analytical Forces
For comparison purposes, simulations were performed using the
cutting data presented on Table 2. Specific force 𝐾t is considered
as 5000N/mm2 using the value taken from [H. Pérez, A. Vizán, J. C.
Hernandez, M. Guzmán, J. of Mat. Proc. Tech., 2007].

The radial specific force is considered as 40% of 𝐾t.

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Specific Force from Experiments

Using experimental data and considering only the maximum
resultant force, the specific cutting force calculated.

Fres max
Kres =
ft b
Kres [ft ] = (0.3162/ft + 182.5)/0.1

Kt [ft ] = 0.84.(0.3162/ft + 182.5)/0.1

a0 = 0.35
a1 = 5.6 The value is nearer the meso scale specific force for
aluminium. Specific pressure considered for aluminium in
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Workpiece and Tool Conditions after machining

Pictures taken with an optical microscope (Pantec 15x)

No burrs and No abnormalities

No BUE and no wear at his scale

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Conclusion
—  First effort on experimental cutting force is challenged in
our laboratory.

—  This article deals with micro milling of an aluminum alloy

using three levels of feed rate and constant cutting
velocity, axial depth of cut and same tool.

—  Experimental and simulated maximum forces are compared

and the specific pressure calculated from experiments.
Values around 2kN/mm2.

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Acknowledge

—  The authors thanks to the support of the CAPES for

acquiring the equipment used in this article thru Pro-
equipamentos resources;

—  The Mechanical Engineering Department/COPPE-UFRJ;

—  ICOMM 2013 for the organization and reception!

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