Experimental investigations on longitudinal-torsional vibration-assisted milling of Ti-6Al-4V

In vibration-assisted milling (VAM), an additional high-frequency oscillation is superimposed on the kinematics of a conventional machining process. This generates oscillations of the cutting edge in the range of a few micrometers, thereby causing a high-frequency change in the cutting speed and/or the feed. Consequently, a reduction of cutting forces, an increase of the tool life, and an improvement of the workpiece quality can be achieved. This paper shows and compares the effects of longitudinal and longitudinal-torsional (L-T) vibrations on the cutting force, the tool life, and the surface quality when milling Ti-6Al-4V. In comparison with the conventional milling process, the cutting forces are significantly reduced and the surface finish of the workpiece can be improved by introducing ultrasonic vibrations to the milling process. Longitudinal-torsional vibration assistance showed better overall process performance than the pure longitudinal vibration assistance.