Time-Varying Tool-Chip Contact in the Cutting Mechanics of Shear Localization

Shear localization is the dominant chip formation mechanism in machining of high performance metallic components, such as those made of titanium and nickel-based alloys. This paper presents an analytical thermo-mechanical model considering a new tool-chip contact mechanism due to shear localization. First, it is experimentally shown that the sticking and sliding contact lengths fluctuate with the frequency of shear localization. Second, a cutting mechanics model is developed considering the shear band formation, its rolling on the tool’s rake face, and the time-varying tool-chip contact length with experimental validation. Finally, the transient temperature at the tool-chip interface is predicted by taking the rolling phenomenon and the time-varying heat sources at the tool-chip interface into account. The proposed model shows that at the beginning of each segmentation cycle, the entire tool-chip contact length is dominated by sliding condition with negligible sticking length. When the tool advances, new workpiece material piles up in its front with an increase in the sticking length. Meanwhile, the sliding length decreases due to the drop in the load-bearing capacity of the shear band. When enough material piles up in front of the tool, a new shear band forms, and the entire contact length returns to the sliding condition. This process repeats each time a shear band occurs, causing the cyclic formation of shear bands and time-varying nature of the tool-chip contact length, therefore influencing the temperature and stress evolution at the tool-chip interface.