On the FE codes capability for tool temperature calculation in machining processes

The applications of numerical simulation to machining processes have been more and more growing in the last years: today a quite effective predictive capability has been reached, at least as far as global cutting variables (for instance cutting forces) are concerned. On the other hand, the capability to predict local cutting variables (i.e. pressure on the tool, temperature distribution, residual stresses in the machined surface) has to be heavily improved and verified. At the same time, effective experimental procedures for validating numerical results have to be developed. In this work two different approaches were implemented for temperature measuring: a thermocouple based approach and a thermographic analysis were developed. As well the effectiveness of a couple of typologies of numerical simulation was investigated; the former was a 2D fully thermo-mechanical analysis, the latter a 3D pure thermal one. The results of the study permit to assess that a thermo-mechanical simulation does not permit a satisfactory temperature prediction, while an integrated approach including analytical models and pure thermal FE simulations promises relevant advantages.