Surface plastic deformation in dry cutting at magnetically assisted machining

This paper covers the application of external electromotive force sources (EMF) (e.g. magnetic field) as an integral part of nearing no-wear conditions when cutting dry. Particularly, the surface plastic deformation (SPD) that occurs when an external superimposed magnetic field reworks material as it is sheared by a single-point cutting tool is considered. In this connection, investigation of SPD is done using orthogonal cutting tests carried out on dry cut of magnetized ferromagnetic AISI 1045 steel. The experiments show that magnetic field strengthens the cut surface with a thin secondary layer as the chip slides along the tool rake face. The surface hardening rate and the thickness of the secondary layer are functions of the magnetic excitation and cutting speed. During rapid plastic deformation, i.e., high cutting speed, the magnetic effect intensifies the ductility of material (high cutting ratio) which prevents the chip segmentation.