A finite element model for the orthogonal cutting of fiber-reinforced composite materials

The tendency towards increased automation of composite cutting operations stimulates the investigation of cutting force evaluation. Different from the conventional method of modeling, which often assumes a continuous chip formation with a predefined separation layer, this study considered the chip breaking and developed a 2D cutting force model with the aid of the finite element method. The variation of the cutting force was investigated carefully against both the cutting conditions and the anisotropy of the material with the following development: (a) a constitutive model of a homogeneous anisotropic elastic material under plane deformation; (b) a failure model of the work-material based on the Tsai–Hill criterion; and (c) a contact model of the mechanisms of the cutting process. A comparison with experimental measurements showed that the constitutive model leads to a reasonable prediction.