DEM Simulation and Experimental Investigation of Silicon Carbide on Pre-Stressed Machining

In this paper, the technology of pre-stressed machining suitable for ceramic materials was presented. Using the cluster method, the discrete element method (DEM) model of SiC ceramic was established to simulate the crack’s initiation and propagation in cutting processes with different pre-stress value. The scratching tests were carried out to confirm the validity of simulation. Both the DEM simulation and the experimental investigation showed that: with the increasing of pre-stress, the number of radial cracks reduced and the transverse cracks replaced the radial cracks to some extent, and also caused the material removal in the form of smaller fragments. Using pre-stressed machining can decrease the machining damage and improve the surface quality, and further prove that using DEM to simulate the machining process of ceramic materials was feasible.