Simulation studies of the cutting process on SiCp/Al composites with different volume fraction of reinforced SiC particles

SiC_p/Al composites (aluminum alloys reinforced with SiC particles) are classified as the typical difficult-to-machine materials by serious tool wear, premature tool failure, surface defects, etc. In order to understand the formation mechanism of chip and machined surface, the two-dimensional finite element modeling technology of the cutting process for SiC_p/Al composites are investigated by using ABAQUS explicit. The actual microstructure is modeled by a multi-phase modeling approach with a circular SiC reinforcement phase randomly distributed in a 6061aluminum alloy matrix phase. The effect of volume fraction of SiC particles is studied by simulating the orthogonal cutting process of aluminum alloy and three SiC_p/Al composites with multiplied increasing volume fraction of SiC reinforcement particles. The cutting forces vs. time due to the interaction between cutting tools and SiC particles in the cutting process and the stress distribution in three deformation zones are analyzed. Finally, surface defects including particles debonding, small pits, raised particles and traces of ploughing are predicted and verified by the experimental surface topography.