Proper selection of cutting parameters and cutting tool angle to lower the specific cutting energy during high speed machining of 7050-T7451 aluminum alloy

Cleaner production and sustainability are of vital importance in the field of machining processes where great amount of energy is consumed. Reducing the energy consumption during machining process can significantly improve the environmental and economical performance of manufacturing systems. To achieve this, calculation of energy consumption during the metal cutting process is required. This paper investigates the specific cutting energy consumption for the serrated chip formation of 7050-T7451 aluminum alloy in high speed machining. The cutting energy consumption during serrated chip formation mainly includes such three components as plastic deformation energy in the primary deformation zone, friction work between the tool-chip interface and kinetic energy of the flowing chip. The predictive models of these three energy components are developed for orthogonal cutting mode, and the influences of cutting speed, undeformed chip thickness and tool rake angle on the cutting energy consumption are revealed. Meanwhile, the theoretical energy consumptions under different undeformed chip thicknesses are validated with the high speed orthogonal cutting experiments of 7050-T7451 aluminum alloy. Based on the research results, when high cutting speeds are applied in order to improve the machining efficiency, large positive rake angle tools and large undeformed chip thicknesses are recommended if the rigidity of the machining system and the machining surface quality can be guaranteed.