3D FEM simulation of chip breakage in turning AISI1045 with complicate-grooved insert

In order to solve the problem of low efficiency and high cost in designing inserts with groove, finite element simulation (FEM) method has been employed to directly simulate the chip breaking condition. However, the current methods tend to involve a large number of cutting experiments and a user subroutine program used for secondary development, causing inconveniency in engineering application. Here, we propose a high-efficient three-dimensional (3D) FEM method to analyze the chip breakage properties of complicate-grooved insert. For the simulation, a three-dimensional cutting simulation model is established by Deform 3D FE package, and the Johnson-Cook (J-C) material constitutive model and Cockcroft-Latham (C-L) ductile fracture criterion are adopted. To verify the validity of the model, the simulations and corresponding turning experiments of AISI 1045 steel are performed with complicate-grooved insert at several combination groups of cutting depth and feed rate. The estimated chip morphology, chip breaking process, and cutting force from the simulation are in good consistency with those from the experiments. Additionally, the comparisons between the simulations and corresponding turning experiments with complicate-grooved insert and flat rake insert are conducted. The results show that the chip breaking groove can significantly change the chip flow angle and the chip geometry and that the complicate-grooved insert can more efficiently promote chip breakage than the flat rake insert. Therefore, the 3D FEM method proposed can be used to effectively investigate the chip formation mechanism and chip breakage properties and has promising application prospects in complicate-grooved insert design and cutting parameter optimization.