E. Lo Valvo

Wear mechanism of ceramic tools

Abstract Cutting tests were performed using ceramic cutting tools under continuous cutting conditions. The tests were carried out on AISI 1040 steel, with cutting speeds ranging from 5 to 11 m s −1 . The wear mechanism was investigated for both crater and flank. Alumina-toughened zirconia of submicron grain size showed the best wear resistance. Alumina with TiC, TiN and ZrO 2 inclusions exhibited a wear resistance a little lower than the above-mentioned materials. Low chemical stability seems to be the reason for the poor performances of the silicon carbide whiskers-reinforced alumina, silicon nitride and the tungsten carbide inserts.

Cutting Temperatures Evaluation in Ceramic Tools: Experimental Tests, Numerical Analysis and SEM Observations

The authors propose a multiple approach for the evaluation of cutting temperatures in ceramic tools. The first approach was the experimental evaluation of equitemperature lines, obtained in three-dimensional cutting by employing constant melting point powders scattered on planes parallel to rake face. In the second approach, a numerical finite element analysis was performed. At this step the determination of the percentage of total heat produced in the operation that flows into the tool was considered and, consequently, the temperature distribution within the whole volume of the insert. Finally, the examination of the crater zone with SEM microscopy confirmed the temperature levels as previous estimated.

Wear performance of ceramic cutting tool materials when cutting steel

Abstract Some test cycles have been carried out in continuous cutting conditions, employing cutting parameters (feed, depth of cut and cutting speed) chosen following experimental planes and suitable test fields. The wear tests have been carried out on AISI 1040 steel with cutting speeds from 5m/sec to 11m/sec. The silicon nitride, sintered carbide, cubic boron nitride and alumina reinforced with SiC whiskers inserts, have shown, at each assigned cutting parameter, poor wear resistance when cutting steel. Alumina and alumina in submicron grain, which has been toughened by ZrO2 phase transformation, and the oxide-based alumina, have been the better wear resistance. The mixed based alumina has shown a wear resistance, a little lower than the previous materials. The low chemical stability seems to be the reason for the poor performances of the silicon nitride and the silicon carbide whiskers reinforced alumina inserts. The high wear rate of the sintered carbide and the cubic boron nitride is essentially due to the pull out of the ceramic particles. From the other hand, the chemical stability, together with their good mechanical properties can explain the appreciable results obtained with the other alumina based materials.

Analysis of metal spinning processes by the ADINA code

Abstract The ADINA code, version 84, has been employed for the analysis of sheet spinning processes. The main process parameters have been evaluated in different working conditions; namely for various geometries and constitutive laws of the material.

A new on-line roughness control in finish turning operation

A new on-line control method for the wear state of sintered carbide tools for finish turning operations is proposed.

Computer vision profilometer: equipment and evaluation of measurements

Abstract This paper describes a new equipment that measures roughness values by a computer vision (CV) technique. Measurements carried out by a CV profilometer are also evaluated. A laser source (power 2 mW), a cylindrical lens and a charge coupled device (CCD) TV-camera with a suitable optical system form an image of the profile of the sample under inspection. This image is then transformed into a binary image by thresholding and the line that divides the bright zone from the dark zone is the sample profile. From this line the characteristic roughness values can be calculated. The roughness measurements are carried out both by the CV profilometer and a stylus profilometer on eight specimens with various degrees of finish. For each investigated parameter, a strong linear relationship exists between CV and stylus measurements.

Computer-Aided Simulation of Die Filling Processes

Summary A numerical method for analysing the filling of axisymmetrical dies of complex shape is proposed. The method, which is a further development of a LP finite element model, is able to take into account the contact conditions directly in the mathematical formulation of the problem. In such a way the solution of the die filling process is obtained by solving a LP problem, avoiding problems of numerical convergence and the heavier calculations requested by other iterative methods.

H and P Mesh Refinement in the Metal-Forming F.E.M. Analysis

In this paper a comparison between H and P refinement techniques in the metal-forming F.E.M. analysis is carried out in order to evaluate their computational efficiency. The results are compared using a particular error estimator which locally allows determining the workpiece zones where the refinement is necessary.

Real-Time Routing Selection in Flexible Manufacturing Systems

Routing flexibility is one of the main peculiarities of Flexible Manufacturing Systems. This paper proposes three methods for real-time routing selection. The first one makes decisions comparing the current workload of machines in each alternative path. The second method considers the current workloads at the bottleneck machines in each allowed route. The third approach makes real-time decisions minimizing a merit index that represents a measure of the still required resource amount. The index is computed by short discrete-event simulation runs. Some case studies evaluate and compare the proposed approaches.

Metal Matrix Composites - Mmc - Turning: Comparison of Tool Materials

The main properties required to the modem cutting tools to be employed in production, are both high wear resistance and chemical stability. In this last years, in the machining of MMCs several kinds of coated tools have been developed; they are characterized by high hardness to resist to the relevant strength and abrasive action of the reinforce fibers or particles, arranged inside the matrix. In turning of MMC the employ of Tungsten Carbide tools coated with Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD) have shown to be very effective, whereas they are very expensive thus increasing the production costs.