Experimental study of micro- and nano-scale cutting of aluminum 7075-T6

This paper investigates micro- and nano-scale (10 nm–2 μm) machining characteristics of a non-ferrous structural alloy, aluminum 7075-T6 (87 HRB) through a series of cutting experiments. Aluminum 7075-T6 is used in the die and mold making industry for creating prototype molds. The effects of cutting conditions on the machining forces, chip geometry, surface roughness, and derived parameters such as the specific cutting energy, shear angle and mean friction coefficient in orthogonal micro- and nano-scale cutting of Al 7075-T6 are presented and compared with trends observed in conventional macro-scale cutting. Explanations for the observed trends are given.