Mach ining gu idelines of Al/SiC par ticu late MMC

MMC - Assess Thematic Network

H.Persson

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H.Persson

MMC-Assess Thematic Network

M a c h in in g g u id e lin e s o f A l/ S iC p a r t ic u la t e M M C
H.Persson, CSM Materialteknik AB (hakan.persson@csm.se)

Contents 1 2 3 4 5 Contents............................................................................................................... 1 Summary ............................................................................................................. 2 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 2 Machining characteristics ................................................................................. 3 Tool characteristics............................................................................................. 3 5.1 Polycrystalline Diamond........................................................................... 3 5.2 Diamond grinding ..................................................................................... 4 6 Turning and Milling .......................................................................................... 4 7 Drilling and Tapping......................................................................................... 5 7.1 Drilling......................................................................................................... 5 7.2 Tapping........................................................................................................ 5 8 Grinding and Honing........................................................................................ 5 8.1 Grinding ...................................................................................................... 5 8.2 Honing ......................................................................................................... 6 9 Sawing ................................................................................................................. 6 10 non-conventional machining........................................................................ 7 10.1 Electro Discharge Machining (EDM) ...................................................... 7 10.2 Laser machining ......................................................................................... 8 10.3 Abrasive Water Jet (AWJ) ......................................................................... 8 11 Industry case study........................................................................................ 8 11.1 Machining fighter air screw pump MMC housing............................... 8 11.2 PCD Circular sawing of MMC billets ..................................................... 9 11.3 Diamond grinding of power semiconductor heatsink plates.............. 9 11.4 Machining an MMC motorcycle racing brake disc............................... 9 12 Work piece considerations............................................................................ 9 12.1 Heat Treatment.........................................................................................10 13 Economics......................................................................................................10 14 References......................................................................................................11

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Summary

Despite the superior mechanical and thermal properties of particulate metal-matrix composites, their poor machinability has been the main deterrent to their substitution for metal parts. The hard abrasivereinforcement phase causes rapid tool wear during machining and, consequently, high machining costs.Within the framework of MMC Assess, BET2-621, topic 2, a review of the available literature on Particulate Metal Matrix Composites (PMMC) have been performed, with the objective to gather generalmachining guidelines for Aluminum based PMMCs.Even if these guidelines can be considered as general applicable, it should be noted that, for a giventool and cutting condition, the wear rate will depend on the features of composites. From the review, it is clear that the morphology, distribution and volume fraction of the reinforcementphase, as well as the matrix properties, are all factors that affect the overall cutting process, but as yetrelatively few works related to the optimization of the productivity process have been published. Despite the controversy in explaining the mechanism behind the tool wear at different feed rates, allreviewed literature recommends using feed rates and depths of cut that are as aggressive as possibleduring the roughing operationsSeveral researchers have also indicated that polycrystalline diamond (PCD) tools are the only toolmaterial that is capable of providing a useful tool life during the machining of SiC/Al PMMCS. PCD isharder than Al 2 O 3 , and SiC and does not have a chemical tendency to react with the work piece material.Furthermore, PCD tools with a grain size of 25 mm better withstand abrasion wear by micro-cutting than tools with a grain size of 10 m.Non-conventional machining processes, such as Electro Discharge Machining (EDM), laser cutting and Abrasive Water Jet (AWJ), have also been reviewed and found to be very suitable for rough cut application.

Introduction

Metal-matrix composites (MMCs) form one group of the new-engineered materials that have receivedconsiderable research since the trials by Toyota in the early 1980s [1]. The most popular reinforcements are silicon carbide and alumina. Aluminum, titanium and magnesium alloys are commonly used as the matrix phase. The density of most MMCs is approximately one third that of steel, resulting in high specific strength and stiffness [2]. Due to these potentially attractive properties coupled with the ability to operate at high temperatures, MMCs compete with super-alloys, ceramics, plastics and re-designed steel parts in several aerospace and automotive applications. The latter materials, however, may not have much further capacity for the inevitable future increases in service loads [3]. Particulate Metal-Matrix Composites (PMMCs) are of particular interest, since they exhibit higher ductility and lower anisotropy than fiber reinforced MMCs [2]. Moreover, PMMCs offer superior wear resistance [3]. While many engineering components, made from PMMCs, are produced by the near net shape forming and casting processes, they frequently require machining to achieve the desired dimensions and surface finish. The machining of PMMCs presents a significant challenge, since a number of reinforcement materials are significantly harder than the commonly used high-speed steel (HSS) and carbide tools [4]. The reinforcement phase causes rapid abrasive tool wear and therefore the widespread usage of PMMCs is significantly impeded by their poor machinability and high machining costs.

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H.Persson 4 Machining characteristics

MMC-Assess Thematic Network

Although often categorized as difficult to machine, MMCs are actually readily machinable. They form short cutting chips, cutting forces are moderate and the range of machining parameters at which they can be machined is quite wide. However, MMCs are highly abrasive and tools can wear rapidly. Providing machining parameter recommendations are adhered to, particularly with regard to surface speed where an absolute maximum of 1000 m min -1 [5,6,7] should be observed, the most significant effect on tool life comes from selecting the most suitable of polycrystalline diamond grade (PCD). The most commonly used way of differentiating between different grades of PCD is by using different micrometer sized diamond particle sizes to form the PCD layer. The particle sizes typically fall within the range 2-25 mm. As the grain size increases, the concentration of diamond by volume increases. This results in an increase in resistance to abrasive wear. This observation has been reported in the literature [13]. Under less abrasive machining conditions the selection of an appropriate PCD grade is determined by considering factors of tool fabrication, tool design, work piece material and machining operation.

5 5.1

Tool characteristics Polycrystalline Diamond

Several researchers [7] have indicated that polycrystalline diamond (PCD) tools are the only tool material that is capable of providing a useful tool life during the machining of SiC/Al PMMCS. PCD is harder than Al 2 O 3 , and SiC and does not have a chemical tendency to react with the work piece material. PCD cutting tool consists of a sintered layer of micrometer sized diamond particles bonded to a tungsten carbide substrate. Polycrystalline diamond is typically produced as a flat round disc, from which any shape or size of piece can be cut and brazed on to a cutting tool body. The PCD is then processed by grinding, to produce the required cutting edge geometry. Polycrystalline diamond tools, for turning, boring, milling, drilling, reaming, tapping and sawing, are all possible to manufacture, and are widely available. A number of different grades of PCD are available, and are classified in terms of the average micrometer diamond particle size within the PCD layer. In most cases, selecting the appropriate grade of PCD is a balanced decision between the life of the tool, the quality of machined surface required and, sometimes, considerations of the tool manufacturing process. PCD tools with a grain size of 25 mm better withstand abrasion wear by micro cutting than tools with a grain size of 10 mm [6,7]. Further increases in PCD grain size do not benefit the tool life, but rather cause significant deterioration in the surface finish. This is because PCD grains with size > 25 m are easily pulled out of the cutting edge. Other forms of diamond cutting tool materials exist, namely in the forms of polycrystalline chemically vapour deposited (PCVD) diamond and monocrystalline diamond. Polycrystalline chemically vapour deposited diamond is available as a coated tool, usually applied to a tungsten carbide substrate, or as a thick film tool. Tools coated with PCVD diamond usually have a thickness of < 50mm, which is worn through relatively quickly when machining an MMC. Tools with thick film PCVD diamond are usually 3/11

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of the order of 0,5 mm thick diamond brazed to a tungsten carbide substrate and perform well when machining MMCs. However, while these materials appear to have considerable potential for machining MMCs, they are still very much at the developing stage.

5.2

Diamond grinding

Diamond grinding is a very well established material removal process and is widely used in the manufacture of a vast range of engineering components. As a general rule, work piece materials, which are currently ground with diamond, are non-ferrous, hard and/or highly abrasive. Glass and tungsten carbide are two examples in the engineering industry. Grinding operations are carried out with bonded tools, in which diamond particles are supported in a bond matrix (resin, vitrified and metal are the most commonly used bonds), which essentially acts as a carrier. As the bond erodes, new particles come to the surface to continue the grinding process. A particular type o grinding tool performance can be achieved by selecting an f appropriate diamond grit type (typically classified by shape, crystallinity, and strength) and grit size. The concentration of the diamond grit and a suitable bond type are other parameters employed to vary the cutting characteristics of the wheel and to produce a particular surface finish, material removal rate, and wheel life.

Turning and Milling

The nature of machining highly abrasive MMCs means, in reality, that tool life considerations are of overriding importance. Coarse grained PCD (25 mm) is significantly more wear resistant than finer grain size grades of PCD when machining MMCs. A summary of recommended machining condition is given in Table 1. Despite the controversy in explaining the mechanism behind the tool wear at different feed rates, all reviewed literature recommends using feed rates and depths of cut that are as aggressive as possible during the roughing operations [5,6,7,8,17]. Table 1: Recommended parameters for machining Cutting speed, m min -1 300-900 200-1000 Feed rate, mm rev -1 0,2-0,6 0,1-0,4 Depth of cut, mm < 5,0 < 3,0 Coolant Yes/No Yes/No

Turning Milling

DURALCAN [6] recommends roughing at the maximum practical feed rate and depth of cut (DOC), followed by a single finishing pass at a lower feed rate and DOC. For general-purpose roughing, where surface finish is not critical, start at 500 m/min, 0.4 mm/rev, and a 1.5 mm DOC. Flood coolant should be applied only if chip clearing or built-up edge (BUE) is a problem. Tool wear is more rapid during finishing, owing to the lower feed rate and DOC. The actual settings will depend upon the critical radii of certain features and on the required surface finish. Typical parameters are 600 m/min, 0.13 mm/rev, and a 0.5 mm DOC. The DOC should never exceed half of the insert's leg length, and the feed should not exceed half of the nose radius. These precautions will reduce the likelihood of fracture of the PCD cutting edge and of poor surface finish on the work piece. (Note that the rake and clearance angles for these inserts will generally be the same as for an unreinforced aluminum alloy.) Other results indicates [7,8], that the cost of PCD tools could be justified by using dry cutting at feed rates as high as 0.45 mm rev - 1, cutting speeds of 894 m min -1 and a depth of cut of 1.5 mm. With these cutting parameters, the relatively small built-up edge formed on the tool 4/11

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protects it from further wear by abrasion and micro cutting. Polycrystalline tools with zero rake angle and large tool nose radii are recommended for the roughing operations

7 7.1

Drilling and Tapping Drilling

HSS twist drills are not recommended to use to drill composites. Standard-twist WC-tipped or solid drills are suitable for prototyping. However, PCD-tipped drills are recommended to be used in production. Because of the abrasive nature of the MMC, point dwell by the drill must be prevented. Adequate feed is essential to drill performance. For drills 3-15 mm in diameter, a good guideline is to program a feed of d 1.5 /75 (in mm/rev) [6], where d is the drill diameter in millimeters. Evacuation of the abrasive chips is another, more complicated problem. Flute design, point design, and the use of coolant are all important. Coolant-fed drills offer the most effective chip clearing from deep holes, but flood cooling with 5% water-soluble oil is usually adequate for shallow holes. Point grinds with compound angles and extra relief can break chips into smaller, easier-to-clear curls. Finally, never drill more than three drill diameters deep without retracting the drill to allow chip clearing.

7.2

Tapping

8 8.1

Grinding and Honing Grinding

Diamond grinding is normally used when machining hard, abrasive materials. Metal matrix composites with a combination of soft and hard phases, are unusual materials to grind. When machining low volume fraction MMCs, electroplated diamond grinding wheels or hones should preferably be used. These tools have a single layer of diamond particles held in a metal layer, usually nickel. Lower volume fraction MMCs do not possess the necessary hardness or

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Owing to the physical constraints of the process, tapping is the most difficult machining operation with composites. The most cost-effective process for producing threads is, according to Duralcan [6], form tapping. Standard HSS form taps can provide over 75 cm of threaded holes (ISO-6H class of fit) at one-third the cost per hole of carbide cutting taps. Although HSS works well for form taps, HSS cutting taps should never t ee used; their high wear rate results in unpredictable tap breakage within the first five holes. Because additional lubricity is needed, the lubricant ratio should be increased from the usual 1:20 to 1:4 for tapping. On a dedicated tapping machine, special tapping oils should be used rather than the water-soluble cutting fluid, used in general-purpose CNC machines. Although through-the-tool lubricant is preferred, flood lubricant will also work if applied correctly. For cutting taps, a fairly low-cobalt microgram WC, yields the best compromise between wear resistance and rupture strength. A tap with six straight flutes and a plug chamfer offers superior performance, because of its decreased land area, to the more usual three- and fourflute designs. Frequent tap and thread inspection is strongly encouraged. Since tap wear occurs on the leading teeth, thread form in the bottom of the hole will usually fail first. In through holes, form taps can compensate for this with an additional revolution or two. But for blind holes or cutting taps, thread wear on the chamfer teeth represents an absolute limit on tool life.

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the abrasive quality for the bond of the wheel to be eroded away and do not allow an impregnated tool to be used efficiently. Higher volume fraction MMCs (i.e. >50%) are more abrasive and cause the bond to be eroded efficiently and the diamond particles to work fully. Any attempt to optimize tool performance has to be based on the individual machining operation, machining conditions, and the critical performance criteria, i.e. optimum surface finish or extended tool life. However, the following recommendations apply [5]: The coarsest grit size should preferably be used that gives the required surface finish, Diamond grit, which is more friable and wears by micro chipping, is likely t o perform much better than a stronger and more crystalline product when grinding MMCs with a bonded tool. Precise recommendations as to grit type are difficult because of the wide range of machines and conditions available.

8.2

Honing

Metal-bonded diamond stones are essential for honing of PMMCs [6]. Although grit size varies with finish requirements, grit concentration should not exceed C75, to prevent the stones from loading. Stones should not exceed 4 mm in width (unless there are holes, splines, or other interruptions), and the sum of their widths should not exceed 20% of the bore circumference. If guide shoes are required, specify a metal bonded diamond (with a grit size equal to or finer than that of the cutting stones) or carbide shoe for the best wear resistance and accuracy. The bore should be flooded with a high lubricity ("fatty") oil, containing extreme-pressure (EP) additives. (Note that EP additives such as chlorine and sulphur should be in the "inactive" form to prevent staining of the work piece.) Filtering the honing oil below 5 m is recommended to prevent micro scratching of the work piece by re-circulated fines. Typically, a part (such as a cylinder liner) should first be bored with a diamond-cutting tool to within 0.05 mm of finished dimensions. Rough honing with a 150-grit stone for 1-2 min removes 90% of the remaining stock. Finish honing with a 600-grit stone for 30-60 sec removes the final few micrometers of stock and plateaus the surface. (Excessive pressure should be avoided to prevent stone loading. Stroking speed and rotation can be calculated from the desired crosshatch angle, bore diameter, and length.) If additional conditioning is required, a brush-type hone may be useful.

Sawing

For heavy sections of greater than 20 cm 2 , its recommended to use a heavy-duty horizontal band saw with flood cooling (5% water-soluble oil) [6]. A WC-tipped blade with greater or equal to 1 tooth/cm running at 60-80 m/min with a moderate cutting pressure and feed can make several square meters of cuts at less than $0.01/cm2 (depending on the saw capacity and work piece size). Use the maximum blade thickness and width that the saw is capable of, to reduce blade deflection and improve cut quality. A rotating in-line wire brush combined with a triple-chip or raker-set blade offers the best chip-clearing performance and reduces tooth damage from recut chips. DURALCAN billets [6] over 30 cm in diameter are routinely cut in this manner. New band-saw blades must be seasoned by making four or five cuts each at 50% and 75% of the normal operating speed. The pressure and feed should be kept light (20-30% of the maximum value similar to that used for low-alloy steels) while the blade is still sharp. As the blade wears, the pressure and feed should be increased to 40-60% of the maximum value (similar to that used for high-speed tool steels). When the blade nears the end of its life, pressure and feed may approach values normally used for stainless steel and nickel based alloys. If a blade loses cutting efficiency before its normal lifetime, try the following techniques 6/11

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in the order listed: (1) increase the feed setting by 10% of the full range; (2) increase the pressure by 10% of the full range; (3) increase or decrease the cutting speed by 10% of the current value. If the blade is still not cutting properly after repeating these steps a second time, retract it until the teeth are barely in the kerf. Stop the saw and carefully rotate the work piece 30-60 degrees in the direction opposite the blade motion while maintaining proper blade alignment. Return to the original cutting parameters and restart the saw. Cold sawing at <60 m/min with WC-tipped or plain HSS circular saw blades can produce similar results. Cold saws have the advantage of being more robust and more easily resharpenable. Circular sawing, like band sawing, requires forced jets of coolants and an in-line rotating wire brush to remove chips. (Mist lubrication does not prevent chip welding and subsequent tooth damage.) For lighter sections, a vertical band saw with a 35/40 grit industrial-diamond blade and flood coolant delivers the best performance. Blades of this type have cut for over 100 hours at speeds of up to 1500 m/min and are much more cost-effective than WC-tipped blades. Cutoff wheels with edges plated using the same diamond grade perform similarly on hollow sections, but can overheat and lose effectiveness on solid shapes >5 cm2. For small degating jobs, V-grade resinoid-bond cutoff wheels of 24-grit Al 2 O 3 (e.g., A24-V-B5) offer an acceptable G-ratio and MRR. Four basic sawing guidelines should be observed [6]: 1. 2. 3. 4. For heavy sections, use a WC-tipped blade with low speed, moderate pressure and feed, and flood coolant. Maximize tooth spacing and gullet size while keeping at least three teeth in the kerf. Season a new blade with a few cuts at 50% and 75% of the planned cutting speed. For light sections, use a diamond-grit-edged blade at high speed, moderate pressure and feed, and flood coolant.

10 non-conventional machining 10.1 Electro Discharge Machining (EDM)

The reviewed results [14,15] indicate that Al/SiC PMMC's can be machined using EDM, despite the low electrical conductivity and the high thermal resistance of the SiC particles. The EDM process is however slow and the material removal rate does not exceed the value of V=35 cm 3 /min under the conditions used. The material removal rate increases with increasing discharge current and increased pulse duration up to an optimal value and thereafter decreases. It has also been shown that the material removal rate decreases with increased SiC ceramic contents. This can be explained by a number of factors. Firstly, the electrical conductivity of the aluminum matrix decreases due to the presence of the ceramic reinforcement. Furthermore, because of the low thermal conductivity, and the much higher thermal resistance of the SiC, the aluminum alloy between the ceramic particles is preferentially removed. It was observed that the SiC-particles were not melted during the machining process since their full size and sharp corners were still visible in the machining debris as well as in the recast layer. This appears to suggest that the removal of the composite material occurs through the process of melting and vaporizing the matrix material around the ceramic particle and at some point the entire SiC-particle becomes detached. This shielding" effect of the SiC ceramic is followed by a decreased removal rate with increased SiC. The machined surface of a material generated using EDM is composed of many microscopic craters associated with the random spark discharge between the electrodes.

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10.2

Laser machining

To date MMC has been used in the production of relatively thick components but more recently attempts have been made to use this material in thin sheet form. Conventional cutting using diamond tools is costly and/or technically difficult. Since Wire-EDM is slow, laser machining can offer significant productivity advantages for rough cut-off applications. It is apparent that a laser is very suitable for high feed rates [14] (up to V=3000 mm/min) and can produce a cut with a narrow kerf width (W k d0.4 mm). Reinforcing the aluminum matrix with SiC ceramic particles improves the machinability of the Machining guidelines of Al/SiC particulate MMC composite, due to the reduction in the optical reflectivety of the material. However quality of the laser cut surface is relatively poor. Striation patterns on the cut surface and burrs at the exit of the laser (dross attachment) were observed [14]. Significant thermal induced microstructural changes were also observed within the PRMMC.

10.3

Abrasive Water Jet (AWJ)

Machining with an Abrasive Water Jet (AWJ) has many advantages compared to other machining technologies. In comparison to thermal machining processes (laser, EDM) AWJ does not induce high temperatures and as a consequence there is no thermally affected zone. Furthermore since high feed rates are possible [14] (feed rates up to v=450 mm/min), AWJ can be considered to be a very efficient machining process. The surface quality of the AWJ cut is characterized by a rough surface, which is one of the drawbacks of this machining process. A smoother surface can be obtained with lower feed rates. The formation of striation is presumed to be as a result of a cutting lag and step removal [16] and is generally present when machining thicker material. The absence of striations also indicates that the removal process occurs mainly by cutting the material and deformation wear is negligible. The ductile shearing of the aluminum is evident from the abrasive scooping and ploughing path (micro-cutting) of the garnet. One of the major advantages of the AWJ process is the absence of any thermal damage to the surface. Furthermore, no burr attachment was observed [14]. The top edge of the cut s urface is however characterized by a radius as well as slotted edge damage. The kerf is characterized by a larger width (average kerf width around Wk=1.5 mm) than that obtained when using the laser process.

11 Industry case study 11.1 Machining fighter air screw pump MMC housing

Screw type pumps operate at high speed [9] and therefore require a closely tolerance housing to ensure correct and even fluid flow across the outside of the screw and the inner wall of the housing. Where the wall thickness of the housing is only 2,5 mm the diameter and length are 65 mm and 127 mm respectively, and the material in question is a 20% SiCp (particulate) aluminum, then machining can cause problems. If diameter tolerances of + 6 m and roundness of 25 m are to be achieved, and expensive jig boring tooling avoided, then machining without distortion is essential. As well as being highly wear resistant PCD tools produce lower cutting forces than tungsten carbide. This is a major consideration when machining thin walled or intricate components made from ductile, light materials like MMCs. Other than the tapping of 2 x 6 mm dia. holes, all machining operations are carried out with PCD.

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11.2

PCD Circular sawing of MMC billets

A manufacturer of 12%SiCp magnesium MMC had the task of sectioning 150 mm dia. continuous cast billet into manageable sized pieces [10]. The individual billets are then extruded into thin walled round tube sections. These tube sections are clearly very light and very tough and are currently being prototyped as suitable frame material for top of the range mountain bikes. The billets were impossible to cut with a tungsten carbide tipped band saw. After cutting through < 100 mm of the billet all 1000 teeth on the 26 ft long blade were completely worn. An electroplated diamond saw blade proved capable of cutting completely through the billet, but the process was slow, the sawn faces were bowed and a special lubricant had to be used. Finally a 550 mm dia. saw blade, tipped with 48 PCD teeth, was evaluated, with immediate success. The PCD tool, requiring no lubricant, cut through the billet in one pass. At a cut loading of 0,4 mm per tooth, the cut was completed in less than 10 s with an acceptable sawn surface produced on the cut faces of the billet. The first batch of 40 billets were processed with no problems and no sign of wear or chipping on the teeth of the blade.

11.3

Diamond grinding of power semiconductor heatsink plates

An MMC has proved to be a highly suitable material to use for mounting large power semiconductors [11]. An MMC provides the best combination of high thermal conductivity and low thermal expansion required in this application. The 70%SiC p /Al plates are made by preforming the ceramic and then pressure infiltrating the aluminium matrix. Plates are face milled with PCD to remove between 1-2 mm of material and bring the plates rapidly close to thickness tolerances. The final sizing of the plate and production of the required surface finish is achieved by diamond grinding. A metal bonded wheel containing D151 sized diamond at a 50 concentration (on a scale where 100 concentration is 4x4 carats cm -3 of bond) has proved most effective in producing the ultra smooth surface finish that is necessary for downstream plating processes, and at the same time with acceptable tooling costs and production rates.

11.4

Machining an MMC motorcycle racing brake disc

12 Work piece considerations

Optimum machinability assumes a homogeneous distribution of the reinforcing particles in the aluminium matrix. But when particles are in random clumps or bands, they can damage cutting tool edges. Likewise, large particles are more aggressive than small particles. This factor even outweighs the extra silicon in the matrix of the composites.

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Metal matrix composite brake discs manufactured [12] from a 20%SiC, are completely machined with PCD tools. The disc is outside diameter turned and faced on a center lathe, before being put on a vertical milling machine. Here the location features on the inside diameter of the disc are machined with a slot mill. A ball nosed cutter is used to scallop the face of the disc (weight saving). The fixing holes are then d rilled and chamfered. The inside diameter of the disc is then also chamfered.

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12.1

Heat Treatment

Although some parts require stress relieving before machining, most parts are machined in the fully heat-treated condition to ensure dimensional accuracy. But this may not always be the best practice. For example, machining material in a non heat-treated condition can reduce tool wear by more than 50%. For parts that cannot be quenched after machining, one compromise may be to solution heat treat, then machine, and finally artificially age the part to full hardness. In small work pieces, however, heat generated by machining can accelerate aging kinetics so that subsequent artificial aging causes an over-aged condition, reducing yield strength by up to 35%. Thus, when strength is critical, always machine after aging, or modify the aging step.

13 Economics
In mass production, machining time far outweighs cutting-tool cost. For conventional aluminum alloys and cast iron, expendable cutting-tool costs are typically less than 5% of the total machining cost. For the composites, tool cost can increase to 30%, but total machining cost still compares favorably to that for machining cast iron, because diamond tools permit equal or faster cutting speeds. Switching from carbide tools to diamond also changes machining strategy. First, carbide inserts are usually indexed when their wear causes loss of dimension or finish on the work piece, and are then discarded after the last index. This is also true of thin-film CVDD inserts. However, worn PCD inserts can be resharpened once or twice, though subsequent performance can vary depending on insert condition and resharpening technique. Second, because of the higher initial cost of diamond, it is more important to program the tool path to use both edges of each corner for additional savings. Finally, the output of multiplespindle machines is generally limited by the slowest operation. Often, the faster speeds used with diamond tools allow balancing these simultaneous operations, further reducing the cycle time.

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14 References
[1] [2] [3] [4] P. Rohatgi, Advances in cast MMCS, Adv. Mater. Process. 2 (1990) 38-44. J.M. Monaghan, The use of quick-stop test to study the chip formation of an SiC/Al metal matrix composite and its matrix alloy, Process. Adv.mater. 4 (1994) 170-179. B. Boardman, Metal Matrix Composites-An Opportunity for the Off-Highway Industry, SAE International, OH, USA, 1990. S. Ramrattan, F. Sitkins, M. Nallakatala, Optimization of the casting and machining processes for a metal-matrix composite, Proc. Canadian Sec. Mech. Eng. Symp., McMaster University, 1996, pp. 624-629. M.W. Cook, Machining MMC engineering components with polycrystalline diamond and diamond grinding, Materials Science and Technology, vol.14-1998. Duralcan composites, Machining guidelines, presented on Web page, 2001-02-20. M. El-Gallab, M. Sklad, Machining of Al/SiC particulate metal matrix composites, Tool performance, Journal of Materials Processing Technology 83 (1998) 151-158. M. El-Gallab, M. Sklad, Machining of Al/SiC particulate metal matrix composites, Workpiece surface integrity, Journal of Materials Processing Technology 83 (1998) 277285. Metal Composite Technology, Airscrew Howdon, and Nixon Industrial Diamonds: Case study. Magnesium Elektron and Supreme Saws: Case study. AEA Technology and Asahi Diamond Industrial UK: Case study. Metal Composite Technology and Nixons Industrial Diamonds: Case study. C. LANE and M. LENNOX: 98th Casting Cong., Hamilton, ON, Canada, May 1994, American Foundry mens Society, 701-705. F. Mller, J. Monaghan. Non-conventional machining of particle reinforced metal matrix composite, International Journal of Machine Tools & Manufacture 40(2000) 1351-1366. N.P. Hung, L.J. Yang, K.W. Leong, Electro discharge machining of cast metal matrix composites, J. of Mat. Pro. Tech. 44 (1994) 229-236. A.M. Hoogstrate, C.A. Van Luttervelt, Opportunities in abrasive water-jet machining, Ann. CIRP 46 (2) (1997) 697-714. L. Iuliano, L. Settineri, A. Gatto. High-speed turning of MMC with coated and uncoated carbide tools. Automotive Automation 1997

[5] [6] [7] [8]

[9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17]

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MMC-Assess

MMC-Assess Publications
Volume 1: Glossary of Terms specific to Metal Matrix Composites Volume 2: Thermal Treatments of Age-hardenable Metal Matrix Composites Volume 3: Metallographic Preparation of Metal Matrix Composites Volume 4: X-Ray Computed Tomography on Metal Matrix Composites Volume 5: Quality control and nondestructive tests in metal matrix composites Volume 6: Machining guidelines of Al/SiC particulate MMC Volume 7: Thermophysical Properties of Metal Matrix Composites Volume 8: Guidelines for joining of metal matrix composites Volume 9: Bomding and interface formation in Metal Matrix Composites

Copyright: MMC-Assess Consortium, July 2001

Content: Design: Contact: Homepage: H.Persson P.Prader Insitute of Materials Science and Testing Vienna University of Technology mmc_assess@ewkmmc.tuwien.ac.at http://mmc-assess.tuwien.ac.at/ 12/50