Modeling of three-dimensional cutting forces in micro-end-milling

A new nominal uncut chip thickness algorithm for micro-scale end-milling is proposed by considering the combination of an exact trochoidal trajectory of the tool tip and tool run-out, and then the actual uncut chip thickness may be obtained from a comparison between the current accumulative uncut chip thickness and the minimum chip thickness. Due to the intermittency of the chip formation, the milling process is divided into an elastic-plastic deformation regime and a chip formation regime dominated by ploughing forces and shearing forces, respectively, and three-dimensional cutting forces are modeled according to different regimes. Based on the modeling and simulation technologies introduced, a simulation system for the prediction of three-dimensional cutting forces of a micro-scale end-milling process is developed. The simulation results show a very satisfactory agreement with those data from milling experiments. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)