CIRP Annals - Manufacturing Technology 59 (2010) 77–82

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CIRP Annals - Manufacturing Technology

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Investigations on the effects of multi-layered coated inserts in machining

Ti–6Al–4V alloy with experiments and finite element simulations
T. Özel (2)a,*, M. Sima a, A.K. Srivastava (3)b, B. Kaftanoglu (1)c
a
Manufacturing Automation Research Laboratory, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Rutgers University, NJ, USA
b
TechSolve Inc., Cincinnati, OH, USA
c
Department of Manufacturing Engineering, Atilim University, Ankara, Turkey

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Keywords: This paper presents investigations on turning Ti–6Al–4V alloy with multi-layer coated inserts. Turning of
Machining
Ti–6Al–4V using uncoated, TiAlN coated, and TiAlN + cBN coated single and multi-layer coated tungsten
Finite element method
carbide inserts is conducted, forces and tool wear are measured. 3D finite element modelling is utilized to
Titanium
Tool predict chip formation, forces, temperatures and tool wear on these inserts. Modified material models
with strain softening effect are developed to simulate chip formation with finite element analysis and
investigate temperature fields for coated inserts. Predicted forces and tool wear contours are compared
with experiments. The temperature distributions and tool wear contours demonstrate some advantages
of coated insert designs.
ß 2010 CIRP.

1. Introduction coated and multi-layer cBN + TiAlN coated tungsten carbide inserts
is compared in terms of cutting forces and tool wear.
Titanium alloys such as Ti–6Al–4V offer high strength-to- In addition, finite element (FE) simulations are utilized in
weight ratio, high toughness, superb corrosion resistance, and bio- investigating the tool temperatures and wear development. Two
compatibility and are increasingly used in aerospace and dimensional and three dimensional FE simulations have been
biomedical applications. However, titanium alloys are difficult designed and conducted to predict forces, temperatures and tool
to machine due to their low thermal conductivity and diffusivity, wear to investigate the advantages of coatings in machining of Ti–
high rigidity and low elasticity modulus and high chemical 6Al–4V. Finite element modelling and simulations of chip
reactivity at elevated temperatures [1]. These alloys exhibit formation process in titanium alloy machining present significant
serrated and cyclical chip formation resulting in detrimental tool challenges due to the nature of complicated dynamic material
vibrations [2]. Titanium alloy machining performance can be behaviour of these alloys at elevated temperatures, strain and
increased by improving cutting tool materials and coatings [3,4]. strain rates. In general, adiabatic shearing is considered as
Cubic boron nitride (cBN) material offers outstanding properties responsible for serrated chip formation. Increasing temperatures
such as high hardness and wear resistance. However, cBN material in the primary shear zone due to shear deformation weaken the
has lower toughness and is not suitable for forming inserts into material by thermal softening; therefore, the deformation is
complex shapes. Recently, cBN coatings have been explored by concentrated in shear bands, leading to serrated chip formation [5].
applying several deposition techniques. Among these, physical Although it is also possible to simulate serrated chip formation by
vapor deposition (PVD) has been preferred since thinner coatings using damage models [6], in this paper it is assumed that serration
can be deposited and sharp edges and complex shapes can be easily is caused by adiabatic shearing.
coated at lower temperatures. On the other hand, coating applied
affects the edge radius of the inserts and must be taken into 2. Material constitutive model for Ti–6Al–4V and validation
consideration during tool performance analysis [4].
In this research, single and multi-layer TiAlN and cBN coatings In FE models, a constitutive material model is required to relate
are experimented on tungsten carbide inserts (WC/Co) for possible the flow stress to strain, strain rate and temperature, which often
improvements in machining of Ti–6Al–4V alloy. Positive tool obtained from Split-Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) tests per-
geometry WC/Co inserts are coated by cBN using a PVD system. formed under various strain rates and temperatures. Dynamic
Machining performance of multi-layered coated inserts is exam- material behaviour for Ti–6Al–4V titanium alloy has been widely
ined in longitudinal turning of titanium alloy (Ti–6Al–4V) without published in literature [7,8]. Nemat-Nasser [7] reported that a
using coolant. The performance of uncoated, TiAlN coated, cBN phenomenon known as strain (flow) softening is observed which is
responsible for adiabatic shearing in titanium alloys. Localized
softening is described as offering less resistance to local deforma-
tions due to rearrangement of dislocations caused by subsequent
* Corresponding author. cycling in hard materials. This phenomenon is usually seen during

0007-8506/$ – see front matter ß 2010 CIRP.

doi:10.1016/j.cirp.2010.03.055
78 T. Özel et al. / CIRP Annals - Manufacturing Technology 59 (2010) 77–82

an increase in strain beyond a critical strain value. Specifically, Lee The experimental flow stress data by Lee and Lin [8] has been
and Lin [8] investigated temperature and strain-rate sensitivity of taken as the base for this modified material model. The most
Ti–6Al–4V and presented flow stress data at temperatures from 20 optimum set of model parameters that was identified with inverse
to 1100 8C and strain rates ranging from 800 up to 3300 s1. They analysis are; A = 782.7 MPa, B = 498.4 MPa, n = 0.28, C = 0.028,
used The Johnson-Cook (JC) material model to represent their flow m = 1.0, a = 2, s = 0.05, r = 2, d = 1, b = 5. The details of this
stress data. However, their model did not include temperature- methodology are outlined in the work by Özel et al. [10].
dependent strain softening effect.
2.2. Orthogonal cutting tests
2.1. Modified material model
Orthogonal turning of Ti–6Al–4V titanium alloy tubes (50.8 mm
A modification to the JC model is offered to include strain (flow) in diameter and 3.175 mm in thickness) have been performed
softening effects at elevated temperatures as proposed by Calamaz using uncoated and TiAlN coated tungsten carbide (WC/Co) cutting
et al. [9]. In this study, further modifications to the strain hardening tools in a rigid CNC turning centre at TechSolve Inc. The cutting
part of the JC model by including strain softening at higher strain forces were measured with a force dynamometer and high-speed
values and thermal softening part are proposed and the model is data acquisition devices. The experiments have been conducted
given in Eq. (1). In this model, the influence of strain, strain rate, using tool holders with 08 and 58 rake angle (g) at a cutting speed of
temperature and temperature-dependent strain softening on the vc = 120 m/min and three different feeds (f = 0.075, 0.1, 0.125 mm/
flow stress is defined by four multiplicative terms. rev). Images of micro-chip geometries were captured with optical
digital microscopy.
   
1 ė
s ¼ A þ Ben 1 þ C ln
2.3. 2D finite element simulations and validation
expðea Þ ė0
      s  (1)
T  T0 m 1
1 D þ ð1  DÞ tan h r Finite element model is developed using updated Lagrangian
Tm  T0 ðe þ pÞ
(DEFORM-2D) software in which chip separation from workpiece
where D ¼ 1  ðT=T m Þd ; p ¼ ðT=T m Þb , s is flow stress, e is true is achieved with continuous remeshing. A plane-strain coupled
strain, ė is true strain rate, ė0 is reference true strain, and T, Tm, T0 thermo-mechanical analysis was performed. In these simulations,
are work, material melting and ambient temperatures respec- serrated chip formation process is simulated from the incipient to
tively. the steady-state by using adiabatic shearing based on strain (flow)
softening elasto-viscoplastic work material assumption. The

Table 1
Mechanical and thermo-physical properties of work and tool materials and friction values used in FE simulations.

Ti–6Al–4V WC/Co (Ti,Al)N cBN

E(T) [MPa] 0.7412*T + 113375 5.6e5 6.0e5 6.52e5

a(T) [mm mm1 8C1] 3.109*T + 7.106 4.7e6 9.4e6 5.2e6
l(T) [W m1 8C1] 7.039e0.0011*T 55 0.0081*T + 11.95 100
cp(T) [N mm2 8C1] 2.24e0.0007*T 0.0005*T + 2.07 0.0003*T + 0.57 3.26

Fig. 1. Comparison of measured and simulated serrated chip geometry.

 T. Özel et al. / CIRP Annals - Manufacturing Technology 59 (2010) 77–82 79

Table 2
Comparison of measured and simulated chip geometry.

Cutting condition Experimental Simulated

Tool g [8] f [mm/rev] h1 [mm] h2 [mm] h1 [mm] h2 [mm]

WC/Co 0 0.075 0.095 0.133 0.081 0.101

WC/Co 0 0.1 0.130 0.192 0.108 0.135
WC/Co 0 0.125 0.104 0.177 0.120 0.163
WC/Co 5 0.125 0.156 0.230 0.135 0.171
WC/Co + TiAlN 0 0.1 0.137 0.182 0.107 0.135
WC/Co + TiAlN 0 0.125 0.140 0.216 0.133 0.172
WC/Co + TiAlN 5 0.1 0.102 0.158 0.107 0.134
WC/Co + TiAlN 5 0.125 0.120 0.208 0.135 0.172

simulations included a workpiece as elasto-viscoplastic with a In this paper, three contact regions are considered at the tool–
mesh containing 10,000 quadrilateral elements. Tool is modelled chip interface: (i) a sticking region from the tool tip point to the end
as rigid with a mesh containing 2500 elements. Rake angles of 08 of the round edge curvature (t = k where t is frictional shear stress
and 58 are employed in the tool geometry. Tool edge radius was and k is the work material shear flow stress), (ii) a shear friction
estimated to be rb = 5 mm for uncoated WC/Co, and rb = 10 mm for region (m = t/k) from the end of the curvature to the uncut chip
TiAlN coated WC/Co respectively. Thermal boundary conditions thickness boundary (m = 0.9 for WC/Co, m = 0.85 for TiAlN), (iii) a
are defined accordingly in order to allow heat transfer from sliding region along the rest of the rake face (m = 0.7 for WC/Co,
workpiece to the cutting tool. The heat conduction coefficient (h) is m = 0.5 for TiAlN as the friction coefficient).
taken as 1.0e5 kW m2 K1 to allow rapid temperature rise in the Simulations are run for 0.1 s cutting time. Comparison of
tool. Mechanical and thermo-physical properties of titanium Ti– simulated chips with experiments that are shown in Fig. 1 and
6Al–4V alloy are defined as temperature (T) dependent. Tempera- Table 2 indicate close agreements. In Table 2, h1 and h2 indicate
ture-dependent (T in 8C) modulus of elasticity (E), thermal minimum and maximum serrated chip thickness respectively.
expansion (a), thermal conductivity (l), and heat capacity (cp) Predicted forces from simulations are compared with measured
are given in Table 1. forces in orthogonal cutting tests of Ti–6Al–4V alloy tubes as

Fig. 2. Comparison of measured and simulated forces in orthogonal cutting tests.

80 T. Özel et al. / CIRP Annals - Manufacturing Technology 59 (2010) 77–82

Fig. 3. Configuration of longitudinal bar turning experiments and force results.

shown in Fig. 2. Especially, cutting forces are in close agreements and multi-layer coatings at National Boron Research Institute
with 5% prediction error. Thrust force predictions which show 10– (BOREN) in Turkey at a deposition pressure of 3  103 Torr and
15% prediction error can be further improved with finer adjust- heater temperature of 100 8C. Applied magnetron power is fixed at
ments of friction regions and their values. 900 W and argon to nitrogen gas ratio is adjusted to 5/1 and run at
the lowest possible bias voltage to obtain uniform cBN coating.
3. Experimental work Longitudinal turning of annealed Ti–6Al–4V titanium alloy bars
(90 mm in diameter, 100 mm in length) was performed by using
In this study, four different inserts at the same cutting TPG432 type insert geometry (insert nose radius of re = 0.8 mm and
conditions have been tested; uncoated/unalloyed tungsten carbide relief angle of a = 118) in a rigid CNC turning centre under dry
(WC/Co), tungsten carbide (WC/Co) PVD coated with TiAlN, machining conditions at Rutgers University Manufacturing Auto-
tungsten carbide (WC/Co) PVD coated with cBN, tungsten carbide mation Research Laboratory. The inserts were used with a tool
multi-layer PVD coated with cBN over TiAlN coating. Tungsten holder that provided 08 lead, 58 side rake, and 58 back rake
carbide (WC/Co) and PVD coated WC/Co with TiAlN inserts are angles. The cutting forces were measured with a force dynam-
coated with cBN by magnetron sputtering PVD system as mono ometer mounted on the turret disk of the CNC turning centre. A

Table 3
Summary of FE simulation predictions.

Tool type Fc [N] Ft [N] Fz [N] Ttool [8C] Tchip [8C] dW/dt [mm/s]

WC/C0 590 (485–615) 93 (69–106) 229 (137–244) 785 791 0.0038

WC/C0 + cBN 602 (490–612) 99 (86–100) 236 (145–280) 762 778 0.0019
WC/C0 + TiAlN 571 (490–593) 98 (77–103) 228 (135–250) 811 810 0.0024
WC/C0 + TiAlN + cBN 575 (481–606) 97 (81–115) 243 (166–286) 773 774 0.0025

Fig. 4. Predicted temperature distributions in 8C.

 T. Özel et al. / CIRP Annals - Manufacturing Technology 59 (2010) 77–82 81

Fig. 5. Simulated chip formation with effective strain distributions.

constant depth of cut (ap = 2 mm) and a constant feed (f = 0.1 mm/ In order to observe the performance of coatings at different
rev) were selected as cutting conditions. Each test was replicated at cutting speeds, two sets of tests are done at cutting speeds of
least twice. The averages of the measured forces for each insert are vc = 50 and 100 m/min respectively. Thrust force was the lowest
shown in Fig. 3. since inserts use 118 relief angle; hence flank contact area is very

Fig. 6. Experimental and predicted wear rate distributions in [mm/s].

82 T. Özel et al. / CIRP Annals - Manufacturing Technology 59 (2010) 77–82

small. According to force measurements, cBN and cBN + TiAlN c1 = 7.8  109 and c2 = 2.5  103 in the FE simulations. Determin-
coated inserts exhibit lowest cutting forces at 50 m/min cutting ing these constants could be extensive work so they are kept same
speed but the highest at 100 m/min cutting speed. Moreover, the for simplicity. Chiefly crater wear was observed on all of the tools
highest thrust force is seen in cBN coated WC/Co inserts at high under these cutting conditions. Fig. 6 shows the comparison of
cutting speed. measured and simulated tool wear zones.
The advantage of cBN coatings on forces is apparent for the c 
2
lower cutting speed. Adding cBN coating over TiAlN coating dW=dt ¼ c1 s n ys exp (2)
decreases forces. As cutting speed increases, the effect of larger T
edge radius (rb) due to added layer of coatings (cBN and TiAlN)
becomes the dominant mechanism on forces. This larger edge 5. Conclusions
radius in multi-layer coated tools hinders the potential benefits of
coatings, hence results in higher forces especially when cutting In this study, a modified material model for Ti–6Al–4V titanium
speed is doubled. Hence, it may be beneficial to modify edge alloy is developed where strain (flow) softening, strain hardening
preparation of the coated tools (TiAlN and cBN) to lower the and thermal softening effects are coupled. This model is validated
cutting edge radius. with elasto-viscoplastic FE simulation of adiabatic shearing based
serrated chip formation in machining Ti–6Al–4V titanium alloy.
4. 3D finite element simulations The simulation predictions are compared with orthogonal cutting
test results by using measured forces and chip morphology.
Several FE studies on 3D turning are presented in the past such Turning experiments have been conducted with uncoated, mono
as the work by Aurich and Bil [11] for segmented chip formation. In and multi-layer coated WC/Co carbide tools and cutting perfor-
this study, updated Lagrangian FE modelling software (DEFORM- mance of these coatings are evaluated. Although cBN and
3D) was used. The workpiece is modelled as elastic–viscoplastic TiAlN + cBN coated WC/CO inserts exhibit largest cutting forces
material where the material constitutive model of this deformable at higher cutting speeds, they reveal favourable wear develop-
body is represented with modified J-C material model. The ment. Tool wear zone measurements and predictions show that
workpiece is represented by a curved model with 87 mm diameter cBN coated WC/Co inserts depict smallest wear zone. Conse-
which is consistent with the experimental conditions. Only a quently, cBN coatings may lead to reduction in tool wear dry
segment (38) of the workpiece was modelled in order to keep the machining of titanium alloyed Ti–6Al–4V material.
size of mesh elements small. Workpiece model includes 90,000
elements. The bottom surface of the workpiece is fixed in all Acknowledgements
directions. The cutting tool (re = 0.8 mm with 118 relief angle) is
modelled as a rigid body which moves at the specified cutting The authors gratefully acknowledge the support by the National
speed by using 180,000 elements. A very fine mesh density is Science Foundation (CMMI-0758820 and CMMI-0757954), and
defined at the tip of the tool and at the cutting zone to obtain fine BOREN Institute of Turkey.
process output distributions. The minimum element size for the
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