ANALYSIS OF ALUMINIUM–FLYASH PARTICULATE METAL MATRIX

COMPOSITES PROPERTIES OF CYLINDRICAL SPECIMEN

M.Sivaprakash1*, R.Subashchandrabose2, S.Purushothaman3
Research Scholar, Anna University, India-600025
1

Sivaprakash147@gmail.com
2
Principal, Udaya School of Engineering, India-629204
rsubashchandrabose@gmail.com
3
Professor, PET Engineering College, India-627117,
dr.s.purushothaman@gmail.com
ABSTRACT: This paper presents the effect of tool flank wear of polycrystalline diamond (PCD)
tool used for machining aluminium–flyash metal matrix composite with different volume
fractions of 25%, 15% and 10%. The specimen was cast using stircasting method. The specimen
was machined with PCD in a lathe. The results of the flank wear on the PCD tool is discussed.
The benefit of the aluminium flyash MMC is highlighted in this paper.

KEYWORDS: metal matrix composite, stircasting, aluminium flyash, polycrystalline diamond,

properties

Introduction
Composite materials are made from two or more constituent materials with
significantly different physical or chemical properties and which remain separate and distinct on
a macroscopic level within the finished structure. Metal Matrix Composite consists of a metallic
matrix combined with a reinforcing material. The matrix materials are Aluminium, Magnesium,
Titanium etc. The reinforcing materials can be Silicon Carbide, Flyash, Alumina and Graphite.
Aluminium Silicon Carbide MMCs are increasingly utilized in various engineering applications,
such as aerospace, marine, automobile and turbine-compressor, which require materials offering
a combination of light weight with considerably accelerated mechanical and physical properties
such as strength, toughness, stiffness and resistance to high temperature. The applications of
MMCs are limited by their poor machinability which is the result of their high abrasive nature
that causes excessive tool wear in cutting with tungsten carbide tools and with diamond tools.
Previous investigations indicate that machining of Al-SiC MMCs using Polycrystalline
Diamond (PCD) and coated tungsten carbide tools reduces the tool life due to excessive flank
wear. Further, their investigation reveals that the high feed rate reduces tool wear due to the
improvement in the conduction of heat from the cutting zone onto the work piece that causes
softening of the metallic matrix. In spite of the advantage that exists in the Al-SiC MMC, there is
a problem of poor machinability. In order to overcome this difficulty or to ease the
machinability, Hybrid Metal Matrix composites are fabricated. Composite materials in which
two or more high performance reinforcements are combined are called hybrid Composite. Major
properties of hybrid Metal Matrix Composites are high strength to density ratio, high thermal
conductivity and low thermal expansion.
The incorporation of Flyash in Aluminium Silicon Carbide Metal Matrix Composites
reduces tool wear at all cutting conditions. Flyash has been added as the reinforcement material
to the Al-SiC MMC for reducing the amount of PCD tool wear and improving the surface
roughness on the work piece. This paper deals with the machining characteristics of Hybrid Al-
SiC MMCs of different Volume fractions. The machining test were performed on lathe using
PCD cutting tool and comprehensive approach has been used to analyze the machining data for
tool wear diagnostics and prognostics and surface roughness on the work piece. Genetic
algorithm have been used as modeling technique for prediction of responses in machining hybrid
metal matrix composites.
Metal matrix composites (MMCs) are engineering materials in which a hard ceramic
component is dispersed in a ductile metal matrix in order to obtain characteristics that are
superior to those of the conventional monolithic metallic alloys. The primary support for these
composites has come from the aerospace industry for airframe and spacecraft structures. The
driving force behind the development of metal matrix composites are their capability to be
designed to provide types of material behavior, such as their improved strength and stiffness,[1],
outstanding corrosion resistance, friction resistance and wear resistance, high electrical and
thermal conductivity, and high temperature mechanical behavior.
Predictions of cutting forces in machining of metal matrix composites have been done
[2]. An attempt is made in the present investigation to study the effect of graphite incorporation
in Al 2219 / 15SiCp composite on tool wear. The results reveal that the incorporation of graphite
in Al 2219 / 15SiCp composite reduces tool wear at all cutting conditions. This is due to
graphite, which reduces the coefficient of friction between tool and work piece and between tool
and chip interface. PCD tool performs better than carbide and coated carbide tools. The effect of
tool nose wear land length and the reinforcement volume fraction of SiC on the quality of the
machined surface region were investigated using a finish turning operation [3]. The observation
of a 10-fold increase of tool wear during the high-speed cutting of ductile Cu–Pb alloys for
journal bearings was the motivation of an in-depth analysis of the alloy and PCD-tools used in
the corresponding industrial process [4]. An attempt has been made to model the surface
roughness in machining of Al/ SiC-MMC composites through Response Surface
Methodology [5]. Babu Rao [6] described composites are most promising materials of recent
interest. Metal matrix composites (MMCs) possess significantly improved properties compared
to unreinforced alloys. Madhu [7] worked on alloy (6061) matrix composites (AMCs) reinforced
with 3 to 12 wt% glass particulates of 75μm, 88μm, 105μm and 250μm using stircasting route.
Vivekanandhan [8] investigated the friction and wear behavior of particulate reinforced
aluminium alloy composites produced by a stir casting process technique.

Materials and Methodology

Experimental work
Hybrid aluminium metal matrix composites is fabricated in house. The set up consists of a
graphite crucible, motor with stirrer setup, furnace control unit, argon gas tank, and the desired
mould to make the casting of the hybrid MMC. The Aluminium A6061 is placed in the graphite
crucible and is heated to a temperature higher than the melting temperature 660oC of aluminum.
Simultaneously, Silicon Carbide and Graphite are preheated for 3 hours in a separate furnace and
after preheating it is poured into the graphite crucible. The motor with stirrer set up is made on
and the stirrer is made to rotate with high speed in order to mix the reinforcements uniformly
with Aluminium A6061. After thorough mixing is done, the liquid MMC is poured to the mould
kept at the bottom of the furnace, through the Argon gas chamber with a pressure of 2 bar. It is
done to cool the hybrid MMC. The solid hybrid MMC rod is got after the liquid MMC in the
mould is made to settle for several hours. The work pieces manufactured are shown in Figure 1-
3.
A6061-----90% A6061---- 85% Al 75%
SiC ----------5% SiC ------ 7.5% SiC 12.5%
Graphite--- 5% Graphite - 7.5% Graphite 12.5%

Fig. 1 Cast Hybrid Al-SiC Fig. 2 Cast Hybrid Al-SiC Fig. 3 Cast Hybrid Al-SiC
MMC with 90-5-5% MMC with 85-7.5-7.5% MMC with 75-12.5-12.5%

Machining Performance Evaluation

The three components of forces, namely, axial force (Fx), radial force (Fy) and tangential
force (Fz), and flank wear land width (Vb) were collected. To read the cutting forces, a three-
component piezoelectric crystal type of dynamometer (KISTLER type 9441) was used. The
value Vb was measured by a toolmaker’s microscope. Turning was done for the combination of
different speeds, feeds and depths of cut, using a fresh cutting edge. The ranges of cutting
conditions were decided for progressive wear of the tool. For each cutting condition, the three
components of cutting forces Fx, Fy and Fz, were measured. Measurements were made at
different intervals of time. Depending on the length of cut, machining was stopped after every
60-80 seconds, and Vb was measured. Static forces were recorded at two or three intermediate
points between two wear measurements. During re-insertion of tool inserts after every wear
measurement, inserts were slugged into the slot made out in the tool holder, so that there was no
change in the tool overhang.

Tool wear
The change of shape of the tool from its original shape, during cutting, resulting from the
gradual loss of tool material. The high contact stress between the tool rake-face and the chip
causes severe friction at the rake face, as well; there is friction between the flank and the
machined surface. The result is a variety of wear patterns and scars which can be observed at the
rake face and the flank face. Wear on the flank (relief) face is called Flank wear and results in the
formation of a wear land. Wear land formation is not always uniform along the major and minor
cutting edges of the tool. Flank wear most commonly results from abrasive wear of the cutting
edge against the machined surface. Flank wear can be monitored in production by examining the
tool or by tracking the change in size of the tool or machined part. Flank wear can be measured
by using the average and maximum wear land size Vb and Vbmax. The flank wear Vb was
measured using Radical Too maker’s microscope. Consequences of tool wear are Increase the
cutting force, Increase the surface roughness, Decrease the dimensional accuracy, Increase the
temperature, Vibration, Lower the production efficiency, component quality. Figures 4-6 show
the wear of the PCD.
Fig. 4 Wear while machining Fig. 5 Wear while machining Fig. 6 Wear while machining
work piece with Volume 25% work piece with volume 15% work piece with volume 10%

Results and Discussion

The influence of machining time on three component cutting force is presented in Figure
7. From the Figure, it can be known that the increase of machining time increases the cutting
force or machining force and other forces. The increase in time increases the temperature
developed in machining, which in turn increases the cutting forces and load on the tool.

Fig. 7 Machining time versus three component Fig. 8 Feed versus axial cutting force at
cutting forces at feed=0.102 mm/rev for Speed=(325, 500, 770) for Volume=10%,
volume=10%, depth of cut=0.5 mm, depth of cut=0.5mm
speed=325rpm

0.5 0.35
speed=325
speed=500
0.45
speed=770 0.3

0.4
Flank wear land width,vb,mm

0.25
0.35
Flank wear,mm

0.2
0.3
Volume 10%
0.15 Volume 15%
0.25
Volume 25%
0.2 0.1

0.15
0.05
0.1
0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35
. Feed,mm/rev 0
300 350 400 450 500 550
Speed rpm
600 650 700 750 800

Fig. 9 Feed versus Vb for Volume=15%, Depth Fig. 10 Speed versus Flank wear for different
of cut=1mm volume fraction

The Figure indicates that the increase of machining time increases the machining force
(Fz). The other two cutting forces shows the varying in trend in machining of hybrid metal matrix
composites. Figure 8 shows the variation of axial cutting force in turning of Al-flyash metal
matrix composites for varying spindle speed. The Figure indicates that the increase of feed
increases the axial cutting force. The increase of feed rate increases the width of cutting, which
in turn increases the load on the tool. The load on the tool automatically increases the axial
cutting force in turning of hybrid Al-Sic composites.
Figure 9 shows the influence of feed rate on tool wear in turning of hybrid Al-flyash metal
matrix composites. The Figure indicates that the increase of feed rate increases the tool flank
wear width in turning of hybrid Al-SiC metal matrix composites. Figure 10 shows the influence
of tool wear while turning of Hybrid Al-flyash MMC using PCD tool. At 10% volume of
fraction, the Vb is least when compared to the Vb obtained for higher volume (25%) of fraction
under similar machining conditions. Moreover, as the speed increases, the amount of wear is
slow.

Conclusions
In this work, axial force, radial force and tangential force, flank wear, surface roughness
was collected. Specific cutting energy was calculated. The work piece material used is hybrid Al-
flysh particulate MMC with three different volume fractions. The experiments are conducted on
lathe using poly-crystalline diamond cutting tool. Different volume fractions have been
considered as workpiece material. It has been found that less volume of fraction (10%) is
preferable and hence PCD tool wear is less. There is less surface roughness produced when the
tool wear is least and at high volume fraction of flyash.

References
[1] N.Muthukrishnan and J. Paulo Davim, “Optimization of machining parameters of Al-SiC
MMC with ANOVA and ANN analysis,” Journal of Materials Processing Technology. vol. 209,
No. 1, pp. 225-232, 2009.
[2] A. Pramanik, L.C. Zhang and J.A. Arsecularatne, “Prediction of cutting forces in
machining of metal matrix composites”, International Journal of Machine Tools Manufacturing,
2006, vol.46, pp.1795-1803, 2006.
[3] Abdul B Sadat, “On the Quality of Machined Surface Region When Turning Al-SiC
Metal Matrix Composites,” Machining Science and Technology, vol.13, Issue 3, pp.338-355,
2009.
[4] Rafael Schouwenaars, Víctor H. Jacobo, and Armando Ortiz, “Transition from normal to
severe wear in PCD during high-speed cutting of a ductile material,” International Journal of
Refractory Metals and Hard Materials, vol.27, No.2, pp.403-408, 2009.
[5] K.Palanikumar, N.Muthukrishnanb and K.S.Hariprasad, “Analysis and optimization of
cutting parameters for surface roughness in machining Al/ SiC particulate composites by
PCD tool,” International Journal of Materials and Product Technology, vol.37, No.1-2, pp.117-
128, 2009.
[6] J.Babu Rao, D.Venkata Rao and. N.R.M.R.Bhargava,”Development of light weight
ALFA composites,” International Journal of Engineering, Science and Technology, vol.2, No.11,
pp.50-59, 2010.
[7] Y.C.Madhu Kumar and Uma Shankar, “Evaluation of Mechanical Properties of
Aluminum Alloy 6061-Glass Particulates reinforced Metal Matrix Composites,” International
Journal of Modern Engineering Research, vol.2, Issue.5, pp.3207-3209, 2012.
[8] P.Vivekanandhan, S.Anand, and A.Thanikaselam, “Investigation on wear resistance of
varying load of particulate lignite fly ash reinforced aluminium alloy 6063 composites”,
International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering, vol.2, Issue 9,
pp.145-148, 2012.