Investigation on the impact of thermal softening effect induced by nanosecond pulsed laser-assisted cutting on the deformation mechanism of SiCp/Al composites

The machining of SiCp/Al composites containing high hardness SiC particles poses a significant challenge. The nanosecond pulsed laser-assisted cutting method has been selected to improve the machinability of SiCp/Al composites with a volume fraction of 45%. User-written subroutine is used to establish two dimensional and three dimensional cutting simulation models. The deformation mechanism of the Al matrix and SiC particles in SiCp/Al composites is investigated using cutting simulation, digital image correlation (DIC) experiments, and nanosecond pulsed laser-assisted cutting experiments. The effect of the various pulsed laser parameters on the surface quality of the workpiece is also investigated. The simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the damage of SiC particles and their arrangement hinder the plastic deformation of the Al matrix, and the nanosecond pulsed laser induces thermal softening effect and improve the plastic deformation of the Al matrix. Compared to the conventional cutting, the SiC particles exhibit a denser arrangement within the chip, and the plastic deformation of the Al matrix governs the chip deformation. The aim of this present study is to enhance the plastic deformation of the Al matrix, mitigate damage to SiC particles, improve the arrangement of SiC particles, and reduce the surface roughness of the workpiece in order to enhance the machinability of SiCp/Al composites.