Modeling Machining Distortion of Aircraft‐Engine Disk Forgings

Rotating components of aircraft engines are generally manufactured by forging followed by heat treatment. Due to the residual stresses induced during heat treatment, components often distort when material is removed during machining to the final shape. Using trial‐and‐error approaches, it can be very difficult to develop a sequence of machining operations which will ensure that the final component is produced within the very tight dimensional tolerances required for satisfactory performance in service. The objective of the current work, therefore, was to develop and validate a simulation procedure that can predict distortion during the material removal process. To validate the model, four prototype disks were forged and then heat treated under different conditions. Multiple machining cuts were carried out on the top side of each disk. The distortion at the bottom surface was then measured. The Finite‐Element Method (FEM) embodied in the commercial software, DEFORM™‐HT, was used to model the four heat‐trea...