Evaluating the Machinability Characteristics of Aluminium Metal Matrix Composites for Automotive Applications

Abstract

Machining stands as a fundamental activity within the majority of manufacturing enterprises, demanding significant time, materials and effort. The advancement of any manufacturing and automotive sector hinges on the establishment of a well-regulated machining environment. Consequently, to mitigate material wastage and guarantee timely production, the optimization of the machining process becomes imperative. This optimization can be realized by fine-tuning specific parameters like speed, feed and depth of cut. Attaining a controlled machining process involves either conducting a pre-simulated study or predicting values through a computational approach. The predictive analysis of these parameters ensures enhanced machinability within a specified timeframe, minimizing resource wastage. In this study, turning operations were conducted on A356 aluminium alloy, Al-SiC composite material and mild steel using a medium-duty lathe equipped with a High-Speed Steel (HSS) tool. The cutting parameters included varying cutting speeds of 140, 310 and 500 rpm, feed rates of 0.33, 0.66 and 1 mm/rev with a consistent cutting depth of 0.5mm. The assessment of mechanical properties aims to investigate the impact of reinforcement particles within the matrix material. Regression analysis is being employed to predict output values based on corresponding input values.