Comparative investigation on microstructure-based modelling for the orthogonal cutting of AISI1045

With the feed rate decreasing to the dimension of grain size and tool edge radius, cutting process is often carried out in the grain interior and grain boundary. In this paper, the orthogonal cutting process of hot-rolled AISI1045 steel is studied and its metallographic microstructure is analyzed for the establishment of microstructure-based models which incorporate the effect of ferrite and pearlite grains. In order to discover the contribution of microstructure and edge radius to the cutting process, three contrast simulation models including equivalent homogeneous material model with rounded-edge cutting insert (model I), rectangular grain model with sharp edge cutting insert (model II), and rectangular grain model with rounded-edge cutting insert (model III) are built up for the orthogonal cutting processes of hot-rolled AISI1045. Then Voronoi grain model (model IV) and real grain model (model V) are also developed to compare with model III to study the effect of grain shape on the cutting process. The simulation models are compared with the experiments in terms of chip morphology, cutting force, and specific cutting force. And the examination on the stress distribution shows that the real grain model with tool edge radius discovers more details about the mechanics in primary shear zone.