Surface characterization of aluminum alloys after diamond turning

Surface state resulting from manufacturing processes has a significant impact on product performance. Frequently, strict conditions are imposed on some dimensions and surface quality of manufactured products. High precision machining allows industry to dispense with successive operations such as turning, grinding and polishing to attain these objectives. In this paper a short review of this technique followed by an experimental study of pure aluminum and aluminum alloys in terms of roughness and structural surface evolution is proposed. Both metals and alloys were machined in single point diamond turning. Moreover, a complementary study on optimization of turning parameters for different aluminum alloys was also undertaken. Surface characterizations were carried out using two powerful techniques: interferometry microscopy and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction. These non-destructive methods allow to determine the evolution of mechanical and physical properties of materials, before and after turning. The role of alloy precipitates is shown as essential and the crystallographic texture of surface evolves.