Abstract

Due to its high strength in high temperatures, Inconel 718 is widely used in the aerospace industry. However, Inconel 718 is a difficult-to-cut alloy with poor machinability. For instance, the cutting force is high in cutting Inconel 718, resulting in work-hardening of the machined surface and high residual stress in the machined surface. When residual stress releases, the part deforms and scrapes with error beyond tolerance. Therefore, it is necessary to predict the residual stress in the machined surface under a set of machining conditions. By modifying the machining conditions, the residual stress in the machined surface is under control, and the part deformation is limited. In this research, an analytical approach to the hardness and the residual stress in the machined surface in orthogonal cutting is proposed. This research has advantages over the experiment, the conventional approach and the FEA methods. With this approach, the cutting parameters can be optimized to minimize the residual stress in the machined surface and improve the surface integrity.