Residual stress distribution caused by milling

Abstract The effects of cutting speed, feed rate and depth of cut on the residual stress distribution in the machined surface region caused by milling of five different materials are determined using an electrolytic etching-deflection technique. The analysis of the experimental data is carried out using response surface methodology (RSM). The results show that the residual stress is low tensile at the machined surface and increases with an increase in depth beneath the surface reaching a maximum tensile, then decreases with a further increase in depth, eventually becoming vanishingly small. The peak residual stress is found to be strongly dependent on both milling conditions and tensile strength of work material. A mathematical model correlating the process input parameters and their interactions with the residual stress is proposed.