TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF KENYA (TUK)

CAT I EMMU 7241: Machine Tool Vibrations and Cutting Dynamics

Attempt any THREE questions; all questions have equal marks

Q1 a) (i) What is the effect of cutting speed, feed and depth of cut on tool life?
(ii) Explain desirable properties of cutting tool materials?
(iii) What is machinability of metal? What factors affect the machinability?
sin
r=
b) i) Derive the following expression connected to machine tool cutting process: cos ( ) ;

where r is the cutting ratio, is the shear plane angle, and is the rake angle.
ii) An orthogonal cutting operation is carried out under the following conditions: t o = 0.1 mm, tc =
0.2 mm, width of cut = 5 mm, v = 2 m/s, rake angle = 100 and coefficient of friction is 0.2, Fc = 500
N, and Ft = 200 N. Calculate the percentage of the total energy that is dissipated in the shear
plane.
iii) Assume that, in orthogonal cutting, the rake angle is 25 and the coefficient of friction is 0.2.
Use the cutting ratio equation to determine the percentage increase in chip thickness when the
friction is doubled.
a) (i) The effect of cutting speed, feed and depth of cut on tool life
Effect of cutting speed: Out of all the above factors the maximum effect on tool life
is of cutting speed. The tool life varies inversely as the cutting speed, i.e., higher the
cutting speed the smaller the tool life. Generally, the reduction in tool life
corresponding to an increase in cutting speed is parabolic, as shown in figure below.
Based on pioneer work of F.W. Taylor, the relationship between cutting speed and
tool life can be expressed as: VTn = C, where,
V = Cutting speed (m/min); T = Tool life (minutes); n = An exponent, whose value
largely depends on the material of the tool, called tool life index. Up to a certain
extent, its value is also influenced by some other variables like tool material, cutting
conditions, etc.;
C = A constant, called machining constant, which is numerically equal to the cutting
speed in meters per minute that would give a tool life of one minute.

Curve showing parabolic reduction in tool life with the increase in cutting speed

1Feed and depth of cut: Feed rate and depth of cut are the other important cutting
variables which also affect the tool life appreciably. An increase in the feed rate and
depth of cut has a similar effect i.e., reduction in tool life, as is experienced by the
tool when cutting speed is increased. However, the effect is not too severe as
produced in the latter case. The different variable, cutting speed, tool life, feed rate
and depth of cut are interrelated as given in the following empirical formula:
VT0.19f0.36t0.30 = 257 m/min; where, V = Cutting speed in m/min; T = Tool life in
minutes; f = Feed rate in mm/min; and, t = Depth of cut in mm

(ii) Properties of cutting tool materials

The important characteristics of a cutting tool material are:
1) Higher hardness than that of the workpiece material being machined, so that
it can be penetrating into the work material.
2) Hot hardness, which is the ability of the material to retain its hardness at
elevated temperatures in view of the high temperatures existing in the cutting
zone. This requirement becomes more and more stringent with the increasing
emphasis on higher cutting speeds to bolster productivity.
3) Wear resistance The chip tool and chip work interfaces are exposed to such
severe conditions, that adhesive and abrasion wear is very common. The
cutting tool material should, therefore, have high abrasion resistance to
improve the effective life of tool.
4) Toughnessthe tool, even though is hard, should have enough toughness to
withstand the impact loads that come in the beginning of the cut or to force
fluctuations due to imperfections in the work material. This requirement is
going to be more useful for interrupted cutting, for example milling.
5) Low frictionthe coefficient of friction between chip and tool should be low,
which would allow lower wear rates and better chip flow.
6) Better thermal characteristicsSince a lot of heat is generated at the cutting
zone, it is necessary that the tool material should have higher thermal
conductivity to dissipate this heat in the shortest time, otherwise the tool
temperature will become too high thus reducing its life. All these properties
may not be found in a single tool material. Improvements in tool materials
have been taking place over the past century to give us better cutting
performance.
(iii) The machinability of a material
Machinability of a material gives the idea of the case with which it can be machined.
The parameters generally influencing the machinability of a material are:
1) Physical properties of the material.
2) Mechanical properties of the material.
3) Chemical composition of the material.
4) Microstructure of the material.
5) Cutting conditions.

Since the machinability property of the material depends on various variable factors,
it is not possible to evaluate the same in terms of precise numerical values, but as a
relative quantity. The criteria of determining the same may be as follows:
1) Tool life. The longer the tool life it enables at a given cutting speed the better is
2 the machinability.
2) Surface finish. It is also directly proportional, i.e.., the better the surface finish
the higher is the machinability.
 3) Power consumption Lower power consumption per unit of metal removed
indicates better machinability.
4) Cutting forcesThe lesser the amount of cutting force required for the
removal of a certain volume of metal or the volume of metal removed under
standard cutting forces the higher will be the machinability.
5) Shear angleLarger shear angle denotes better machinability.
6) Rate of metal removal under standard cutting conditions.

b) (i)

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Q2 (a) What do you understand by transmissibility in relation to vibrations?
(b) Establish an expression for the amplitude of forced damped vibrations, and use the expression
to derive an equation for the transmissibility ratio (TR).
(c) A machine tool of mass 70 kg mounted to ground through an isolation system of total stiffness
30 KN/m, with a measured damping ratio of 0.2. During machining process the machine cutting
tool produces a harmonic force of 450 N at 125 rpm during steady-state operating conditions.
Determine the:
i) amplitude of motion of the machine tool,
ii) phase shift of the motion (with respect to the exciting force),
iii) transmissibility ratio,
iv) maximum dynamic force transmitted to the floor, and
v) Maximum velocity of the machine.

(a) Transmissibility
Transmissibility When a periodic disturbing force is applied to a machine that is supported on
springs and dampers, part of the force is transmitted to the foundation. The transmission of this
force to the foundation is termed transmissibility and the ratio of the transmitted force (FT) to the
applied force (F) is called transmissibility ratio (TR); i.e. TR = FT/F

(b) Expression for the amplitude of forced damped vibrations, and for the
transmissibility ratio (TR).
Solution:

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NB: =
*Q3. (a) (i) Describe the effects of cutting fluids on chip formation. Explain why and how they
influence the cutting operation. Explain under what conditions you would discourage the use of
cutting fluids.
(ii) In a dry cutting operation using a 5 0 rake angle, the measured forces were Fc = 1330 N and Ft
= 740 N. When a cutting fluid was used, these forces were Fc = 1200 N and Ft = 710 N. What is the
change in the friction angle resulting from the use of a cutting fluid?
(b) A 150 mm-long, 75 mm-diameter titanium alloy rod is being reduced in diameter to 65 mm by
turning on a lathe in one pass. The spindle rotates at 400 rpm and the tool is traveling at an axial
velocity of 200 mm/min. If the unit energy required for the material is taken to be 3.5 W-s/mm 3,
determine:
i) the cutting speed,
ii) material removal rate,
iii) time of cut,
iv) power required, and
v) the cutting force.

a) (i) The effects of cutting fluids on chip formation

Cutting fluids influence friction at the tool-chip interface, thus affecting the shear
angle and chip thickness. These, in turn, can influence the type of chip produced.
Also, with effective cutting fluids the built-up edge can be reduced or eliminated.
Process variables also affect chip curl. Generally, as the depth of cut decreases, the
radius of curvature decreases; that is, the chip becomes curlier. Also, cutting fluids
can make chips become curlier, thus reducing the tool-chip contact area and
concentrating the heat closer to the tip of the tool. As a result, the tool-wear
increases.
8The use of cutting fluids could be discouraged under the following conditions:
(1) If the cutting fluid has any adverse effects on the workpiece and/or machine tool
components, or on the overall cutting operation.
(2) In interrupted cutting operations, such as milling, the cutting fluid will, by its
cooling action, subject the tool to large fluctuations in temperature, possibly causing
thermal fatigue of the tool, particularly in ceramics.

Q4. (a) Briefly explain three types of machine tool vibrations and their causes. How can vibration
be controlled in a machine tool?
b) A number of tool life tests are conducted on two work materials under identical cutting
9conditions, varying only speed in the test procedure. The first material, defined as the base
material, yields a Taylor tool life equation VT 0.28 = 350, and the other material (test material)
yields a Taylor equation VT0.27 = 440, where speed is in m/min and tool life is in minutes.
Determine:
i) The machinability rating of the test material using the cutting speed that provides a 60-min tool
life as the basis of comparison.
ii) The percentage increase in tool life when the cutting speed for the test material is reduced by
50%.

(a) Types of machine tool vibrations and their causes and effect
The machine, cutting tool, and workpiece form a structural system having
complicated dynamic characteristics. Under certain conditions vibrations of the
structural system may occur, and these vibrations may be divided into three basic
types:
i) Free or transient vibrations: resulting from impulses transferred to the
structure through its foundation, from rapid reversals of reciprocating masses,
such as machine tables, or from the initial engagement of cutting tools. The
structure is deflected and oscillates in its natural modes of vibration until the
damping present in the structure causes the motion to die away.
ii) Forced vibrations: resulting from periodic forces within the system, such as
unbalanced rotating masses or the intermittent engagement of multitooth
cutters (milling), or transmitted through the foundations from nearby
machinery. The machine tool will oscillate at the forcing frequency, and if this
frequency corresponds to one of the natural frequencies of the structure, the
machine will resonate in the corresponding natural mode of vibration.

iii) Self-excited vibrations: usually resulting from a dynamic instability of the

cutting process. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as machine tool
chatter and, typically, if large tool-work engagements are attempted,
oscillations suddenly buildup in the structure, effectively limiting metal
removal rates. The structure again oscillates in one of its natural modes of
vibration.

It is important to limit vibrations of the machine tool structure as their presence

results in poor surface finish, cutting-edge damage, and irritating noise; their effects
on cutting condition result in Chip thickness variation, Penetration rate variation and
Cutting speed variation.
The sources of free and forced vibrations can be removed or avoided during
operation of the machine. Forced vibration in machine tools are most often caused by
cyclic variations in the cutting forces. Such variations will occur in side or face
milling, for example, where the frequency of the forced vibration equals the product
of the tool rotational frequency and the number of teeth on the tool.

Self-excited vibration or chatter vibrations are less easily controlled and metal
removal rates are frequently limited because the operator must stop the machine to
change the cutting conditions, which often means reducing the depth of cut or feed
rate. Two mechanisms known as regeneration and mode coupling are the major
reasons for machinetool chatter:
Regeneration is due to the interaction of the cutting force and the work piece
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surface undulations produced by preceding tool passes. Regenerative chatter
occurs when cuts overlap and the cut produced at timet leaves small waves in
the material that are regenerated during each subsequent pass of the tool. The
 regenerative type is found to be the most detrimental to the production rate in
most machining processes. If regenerative vibrations become large enough that
the tool does not contact the work piece as a result multiple-regenerative chatter
occurs.
Mode coupling is produced by relative vibration between the tool and the work
piece that occurs simultaneously in two different directions in the plane of cut.
In fact, mode coupling usually occurs when there is no interaction between the
vibration of the system and undulated surface of the work piece. In this case, the
tool traces out an elliptic path that varies the depth of cut in such a way as to
bolster the coupled modes of vibrations. The amplitude of self-excited vibration
increases until some non-linearities in the machining process limit this
amplitude. Self-excited frequency is usually close to a natural frequency of the
cutting system.

b)

1*Q5. a) With the aid of an appropriate diagram state and describe the role of each of the principal
1forces acting on the work piece during an orthogonal machining operation. Which of the principal
forces can be measured and how will they be measured? Why is it important to have knowledge of
the force components in machining operations?
b) In a machining operation that approximates orthogonal cutting, the cutting tool has a rake angle
= 100. The chip thickness before the cut t o = 0.50 mm and the chip thickness after the cut t c =
1.125 mm. The measured cutting force and thrust force are: F c = 1559 N and Ft = 1271 N. The
width of the orthogonal cutting operation w = 3.0 mm. For this machining operation if the cutting
speed v = 100 m/min, determine the:
i) shear plane angle,
ii) shear strain,
iii) friction angle,
iv) coefficient of friction,
v) shear strength of the work material,
vi) cutting power, and
vii) Specific energy.
viii) Increase in temperature above ambient temperature of 200C if the volumetric specific
heat for the work material = 3.0 x10 -3 J/mm3/C, and thermal diffusivity = 50x10-6 m2/s
(or 50 mm2/s).

a) Principal Forces in Metal Cutting

Forces Acting on Chip are Friction force F, Normal force to friction N, Shear force Fs
and Normal force to shear Fn. The forces F, N, Fs, and Fn cannot be directly measured
because the directions in which they are applied vary with different tool geometries
and cutting conditions; but forces acting on the tool that can be measured are Cutting
force Fc and Thrust force Ft using a dynamometer. The cutting force Fc is in the
direction of cutting, the same direction as the cutting speed v, and the thrust force Ft
is perpendicular to the cutting force and is associated with the chip thickness before
the cut to. However, equations can be derived to relate the forces that cannot be
measured to the forces that can be measured as follows:
F = Fc sin + Ft cos; N = Fc cos - Ft sin; Fs = Fc cos - Ft sin;
Fn = Fc sin + Ft cos
Based on these equations force, shear stress and coefficient of friction can be
determined

Forces in metal cutting: (a) forces acting on the chip in orthogonal cutting; (b)
forces acting on the tool that can be measured

At cutting tool side due to motion of chip against tool there will be a frictional force
(F) and a normal force (N) to support that. At material side thickness of the metal
increases while it flows from uncut to cut portion. This thickness increase is due to
1inter planar slip between different metal layers. There should be a shear force (Fs) to
2support this phenomenon. According to shear plane theory this metal layer slip
happens at single plane called shear plane. So shear force acts on shear plane. The
resultant force (R) at cutting tool side and metal side should balance each other in
order to make the chip in equilibrium.

All the forces acting during an orthogonal machining operation are shown in the
figure below (Merchants Circle). Assume that the result force R acting on the back
of the chip is equal and opposite to the resultant force R acting on the shear plane.
R is composed of friction force F and normal force N acting on tool-chip interface
contact area. R is composed of a shear force Fs and normal force Fn acting on the
shear plane area As. R is also composed of cutting force Fc and thrust force Ft
acting on tool-chip interface contact area.

Merchants Circle showing relationship of cutting forces

The Importance of having knowledge of the force components

Cutting is a process producing considerable stresses and plastic deformations. The

high compressive and frictional contact stresses on the tool face result in a substantial
cutting forces. The forces experienced by a tool during cutting is detrimental in
design of mechanical structure of cutting machine, predicting power consumption,
determining the tool life and increasing the productivity. In addition the knowledge
of the force components is essential for the following other reasons:

1. proper design of the cutting tools

2. proper design of the fixtures used to hold the workpiece and cutting tool
3. calculation of the machine tool power
4. selection of the cutting conditions to avoid an excessive distortion of the
workpiece
b)

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