Quantitative x-ray Analysis: Applications in Machining of Porous Metallic Foams

In the present study, surface integrity in the face milling of open-cell aluminum metal foams was studied at full-volume using micro-computed tomography. Morphological damage to the pore-strut network of the foam was characterized as a function of machining parameters. Post-mortem surface integrity characteristics including effective pore size, foam porosity, and depth of the deformation-affected zone were characterized using the voxel-based data. The machined surface exhibits spatially-graded characteristics, featuring distinct regions of foam-strut bending/buckling and fracture. Implications of these observations for understanding effects on performance relative to structural bio-medical applications and integrity optimization strategies are described.