Thermomechanical finite element simulation and correlation analysis for orthogonal cutting of normalized AISI 9310 steels

A coupled thermomechanical finite element analysis is performed in order to simulate orthogonal cutting of normalized AISI 9310. Damage parameters are optimized to define the behavior of the material subjected to orthogonal cutting. AISI 1045, AISI 4140, and A2024-T351 are selected as precursors to validating the present finite element approach for orthogonal cutting of normalized AISI 9310. The numerical results obtained in this study include the average cutting force, residual stresses and strains, chip morphology, and tool temperature. These results are validated for each material with experimental results found in literature. The current study optimizes the Johnson–Cook damage parameters for steel materials in order to capture physical chip morphology. A correlation analysis is then performed using the validated finite element model for the AISI 9310 material to better understand the effect of specific input parameters such as the damage parameters, coefficient of friction, fracture energy, heat generation fractions and tool velocity on output results such as stresses and strains in the workpiece, chip thickness ratio and tool temperature. This analysis provides input-output relations for a physically reasonable range of input parameters and supports that the damage parameters, coefficient of friction, and fracture energy have a very strong influence on the residual stresses and strains, and the chip morphology. The coefficient of friction has a strong influence of tool temperature. Correlation analysis results can help manufacturers in understanding the nature of residual stresses and distortion, and in choosing optimized process parameters suitable for and applicable to the specific workpiece material. Tool wear that is observed in actual cutting of normalized AISI 9310 is also discussed. This study will benefit the manufacturing industry with the understanding of how specific cutting processing parameters will impact the distortions and residual stresses in the machined AISI 9310 parts.