Mechanical Machining Simulation Using SIMULIA Abaqus FEA

Introduction to Machining

Machining is one of the most important manufacturing processes and is widely used in many industries today, especially in aerospace and automotive sectors. It is a method of transforming raw materials into precise components by removing excess material to meet specified tolerances.

Through this process, parts and mechanical components are manufactured to meet design requirements, ensuring optimal system performance. High-tech industries such as aerospace and defense use high-grade steel, titanium, Inconel, and superalloys to manufacture complex structures such as turbine blades and molds with high precision.

Although these materials have excellent mechanical properties, they are difficult to machine. This creates major challenges in production and can affect product output and even the global supply chain.

Machining Mechanism

Machining, especially milling processes, requires high cutting speeds. The cutting forces generated during machining create high-frequency vibrations when the tool rotates at high speed and contacts the material.

These dynamic forces cause tool vibrations, which can negatively affect surface quality, dimensional accuracy, and geometric precision of the final product.

Key parameters used in machining processes include rake angle, tool sharpness angle, relief angle, and shear angle.

Chip Formation Mechanism

When contact begins, the cutting tool applies compressive force to the workpiece along the rake face. When this force exceeds the material’s bonding strength (when the generated stress surpasses the material’s strength limit), a layer of metal separates from the workpiece.

The material rapidly transitions from elastic deformation to plastic deformation and fracture. As the tool moves forward, the separated layer is compressed and sheared along a plane, forming chips.

Benefits of Machining Simulation

Today, machining simulations are developed to predict cutting forces, torque, power consumption, temperature, tool wear, and tool vibrations.

Based on these predictions, cutting tool geometry, tool paths, and machining parameters can be optimized according to specific criteria. This helps reduce production time and cost while improving part accuracy, surface quality, and tool life.

SIMULIA Abaqus FEA, developed by Dassault Systèmes, is a widely used tool for predicting cutting forces and other performance parameters. Its key strengths include the ability to handle contact problems, fracture, and large deformation analysis using the finite element method.

Abaqus provides powerful tools for machining simulation, including:

• Advanced material models (plasticity, Johnson-Cook damage, etc.)
• Explicit solver
• General Contact algorithm
• ALE (Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian) method

Using Abaqus for Machining Simulation

In the example below, SIMULIA Abaqus FEA was used by researchers from the University of São Paulo, Brazil, to simulate machining processes in order to estimate cutting-zone temperature.

The simulation results showed only a 3% deviation from experimental data, according to research published in Taylor & Francis journals. Abaqus was used to predict cutting forces and temperature parameters.

This study demonstrates the effectiveness of machining simulation, as the results closely match experimental measurements.

SIMULIA Abaqus FEA can estimate variables that are difficult or impossible to measure experimentally, such as cutting temperature at the tool and workpiece surface.

Machining Simulation with SIMULIA Abaqus Student Version

At NSV, our technical team is ready to support customers with machining simulation using SIMULIA Abaqus FEA.

If you are looking for simulation solutions, please contact NSV for professional consultation and support.

References

Machining Process Simulation.
Claudia H. Nascimento, Alessandro R. Rodrigues, Reginaldo T. Coelho
University of São Paulo, Brazil.