Finite element analysis of the influence of tool edge radius on size effect in orthogonal micro-cutting process

The size effect in metal cutting is evident in the nonlinear scaling phenomenon observed in the specific cutting energy with decrease in uncut chip thickness. It has been argued by many researchers that this scaling phenomenon is caused mainly by the cutting tool edge radius, which purportedly affects the micro-cutting process by altering the effective rake angle, enhancing the plowing effect or introducing an indenting force component. However, the phenomenological reasons why the tool edge radius causes size effect and the relationship between the tool edge radius and the characteristic length scale associated with the size effect in micro-cutting has not been sufficiently clarified. In this paper, a strain gradient plasticity-based finite element model of orthogonal micro-cutting of Al5083-H116 alloy developed recently is used to examine fundamentally the influence of tool edge radius on size effect. The applicability of two length scales—tool edge radius and the material length scale l in strain gradient plasticity—are also examined via analysis of data available in the literature.