An Explicit Finite Element Study of Shear Localization During Orthogonal Cutting Process

The shear localization phenomena during serrated chip formation in high speed orthogonal metal cutting process have been studied by using the explicit finite element analysis. A three dimensional computational model has been developed for analyzing dynamic thermomechanical deformations of a thermally softening viscoplastic workpiece material subjected to various tool cutting speeds and tool rake angles. The shear band characteristics such as temperature contour, effective plastic strain, effective plastic strain rate, propagating speed and orientation are investigated for each cases. Cutting forces can be estimated by this 3D model. The predictions of the finite element analysis are shown that above a critical high cutting speeds the secondary shear of the chip on rake surface appear to be a negligible effect which indicated the chip segments can be separate completely due to extensive shear in the primary shear zone; this phenomena agreed well with the experimental observations. The numerical model presented here can easily applied to study the oblique cutting process.