Plasma enhanced machining of Inconel 718: modeling of workpiece temperature with plasma heating and experimental results

A numerical and experimental analysis of plasma enhanced machining (PEM) of Inconel 718 is presented in this paper. Surface temperatures due to plasma heating are systematically characterized through numerical modeling and experimental investigation using infrared radiation thermometry. A three-dimensional finite difference model is established to determine the temperature distribution in a cylindrical workpiece subjected to intense localized heating. The results are compared with experimental results obtained with a radiation pyrometer. A sensitivity analysis is presented to examine the effects of machining parameters on the temperature distribution. Benefits of PEM are also demonstrated through the reduction of cutting forces and improved surface roughness over a wide range of cutting conditions. In addition, improvement of productivity in machining Inconel with PEM is illustrated. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.