Finite element simulation of the orthogonal metal cutting process for qualitative understanding of the effects of crater wear on the chip formation process

The orthogonal cutting of oil hardening tool steel O1 is simulated using a fully coupled thermomechanical finite element model. ABAQUS program is the computational tool in this model. Emphasis is placed on the effects of the geometric variations of the tool rake face, resulting from crater wear, on the cutting process. Johnson–Cook’s model is employed as the constitutive equation for the workpiece material. The sticking and sliding tool–chip frictional behavior is described by Coulomb’s law, and the chip separation by a critical stress criterion. Four cases are simulated, which are associated with three distinct tool face geometries, i.e., flat tool and two types of cratered tools. Representative results, including deformed meshes, contours of the von Mises equivalent plastic strain, the von Mises equivalent stress and cutting temperature, distributions of the contact stresses on the tool–chip interface, and cutting forces, are provided for each case and are compared with each other. The cutting forces produced with the flat tool agree well with the experimental data.