Prediction of Residual Stresses after Laser-assisted Machining of Inconel 718 Using SPH

Laser-assisted machining (LAM) has been proven to improve the machinability of hard-to-cut materials, by lowering cutting forces, increasing tool life and improving surface finish. Yet, not enough work has been done so far on how LAM would affect residual stresses (RS). The current study investigates the effects of LAM on RS, using finite element modelling, after dry orthogonal cutting of Inconel 718. First, the cutting process was modelled using the smoothed-particles hydrodynamics (SPH) method; secondly, an implicit Lagrangian model was used to simulate the relaxation process. Predicted LAM results were compared to conventional machining. The model was validated using previously published experimental results.