An Experimental Investigation of Hot Machining with Induction to Improve Ti-5553 Machinability

The manufacturing of aeronautic parts with high mechanical properties requires the use of high performance materials. That’s why; new materials are used for landing gears such as the titanium alloy Ti-5553. The machining of this material leads to high cutting forces and temperatures, and poor machinability which requires the use of low cutting conditions. In order to increase the productivity rate, one solution could be to raise the workpiece initial temperature. Assisted hot machining consists in heating the workpiece material before the material removal takes place, in order to weaken the material mechanical properties, and thus reducing at least the cutting forces. First, a bibliography review has been done in order to determine all heating instruments used and the thermal alleviation that exists on conventional materials. An induction assisted hot machining was chosen and a system capable to maintain a constant temperature into the workpiece during machining (turning) was designed. Trails permit to identify the variation of cutting forces according to the initial temperature of the workpiece, with fixed cutting conditions according to the TMP (Tool-Material-Pair) methodology at ambient temperature. Tool life and deterioration mode are identified notably. The results analysis shows a low reduction of specific cutting forces for a temperature area compatible with industrial process. The reduction is more important at elevated temperature. However, it has consequences on quality of the workpiece surface and tool wear.