Machining of aluminum/silicon carbide particulate metal matrix composites: Part IV. Residual stresses in the machined workpiece

This paper presents a 3D thermo-mechanical finite element model of the machined composite workpiece. The model is used to predict the effect of the different cutting parameters on the workpiece subsurface damage produced due to machining. The model predicts high localized stresses in the matrix material around the SiC reinforcement particles, leading to matrix cracking. The model results are in good agreement with the scanning electron microscope observations. Finally, the workpiece model and the tool model, presented in Refs. [J. Mater. Process. Technol. 83 (1998) 151; J. Mater. Process. Technol. 83 (1998) 277; J. Mater. Process. Technol., in press] are combined in a computer simulation of the machining process which potentially helps in reducing the number of iterations needed to determine the optimum cutting parameters, depending on the number of workpieces to be machined.