The characteristics of titanium alloy chip-breaking by orthogonal cutting with a surface-textured cutting tool

A comparative experimental study on the orthogonal cutting of titanium alloys by a polished tool, a tool containing a chip breaker groove, and a surface-textured tool was performed. The effects of different cutting tools on chip morphology, chip thickness, length and width of crack defects inside the chip, saw-teeth of the chip, and chip curl radius were analyzed during the cutting of a titanium alloy. Compared to chips formed by other tools, curled chip fragments formed by the surface-textured tool exhibited greater thickness and longer crack defect depths but smaller chip tooth pitches and curvature radii. The microstructural mechanisms involved in the interaction between the micro-texture surface cutting tool and the chips were analyzed by evaluating the cutting and texture parameters. The chip-breaking mechanism is that the micro-texture on the tool surface creates a sticky texture, leading to the micro-cutting and wrenching of chips, thereby increasing the magnitude of the tool's work-hardening and chip-breaking effects.