Tool wear modeling through an analytic mechanistic model of milling processes

Abstract Very few attempts have been made to simulate the cutting forces for 2D cutting processes with sharp cutting tools and even fewer attempts with the use of worn cutting tools. This paper presents an approach to model tool flank wear effects through a previously developed analytic mechanistic model for milling operations. This expansion of the model can be used to predict cutting forces acting on the flank and rake surfaces of a milling cutter as a function of the cutter geometry, cutting conditions, tool wear and a set of process parameters. This is a new and important capability in milling processes for control purposes and for predicting tool wear in real-time applications. The mechanistic flank wear model is developed in a similar manner to that for sharp tools, in which a mechanistic approach and force equilibrium expressions of the normal and friction loads acting on the flank surface of the tool were used. An appropriate set of transformations is developed to transform the set of equilibrium force equations that act on the flank surface to a fixed coordinate system attached to the cutting tool. The measured flank forces are experimentally obtained and used with the flank force equations to solve for the flank friction and pressure parameters. The results show the effect of feed rate, spindle speed and flank wear on the process parameters. The predicted cutting forces compare well with the measured cutting forces.