Study on the Mechanism and Evolution Process of Chip Formation in Electric Discharge Assisted Cutting

doi:10.3901/JME.2025.19.407

Abstract

Abstract: Electric discharge-assisted cutting technology, an efficient and precise machining method for difficult-to-machine materials such as titanium alloys, significantly reduces cutting loads and enhances machining quality. Despite its advantages, limited research exists on the chip formation process and morphological evolution of titanium alloy chips in electric discharge-assisted cutting. This study combines finite element simulation with experimental methods to address this gap and investigate chip formation processes and morphological characteristics under varying processing conditions in electric discharge-assisted cutting. Results indicate that this technique improves the stress distribution uniformity in the material's removal layer by altering the surface temperature field,effectively reducing cutting force and the degree of chip serration. Compared to traditional cutting, the degree of serration of titanium alloy chips in electric discharge-assisted cutting has decreased from 0.372 to 0.195, and the width of the adiabatic shear band has increased from 1.7 μm to 4.3 μm. This study provides important theoretical support for the material removal mechanism of thermal assisted cutting machining.

Key words: titanium alloy, electric discharge-assisted cutting, chips, cutting mechanism, FEM

CLC Number:

TG661
TG506

LIU Xiangyu, LI Changping, XU Moran, CHEN Jielin, LI Shujian, LI Pengnan. Study on the Mechanism and Evolution Process of Chip Formation in Electric Discharge Assisted Cutting[J]. Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 2025, 61(19): 407-419.

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