Study of Residual Stresses from Two Machining Protocols Using an Indentation Method

Abstract

Although high-speed machining offers a number of advantages over conventional machining, it is possible that the residual stress distributions generated by the former can affect the service life of the processed components. In this paper, a newly developed micro-indent method is used to evaluate different residual stress states, which were introduced in samples of AA 7075-T6 aluminum alloy milled at low and high-speed. Different surfaces were generated by varying the cutting speed in one order of magnitude, from 100 m/min to 1000 m/min. Two machining protocols, which consist of using different machine tools, were evaluated. The results show that it is possible to generate and to evaluate very small residual stresses. Finally, the values and levels obtained for normal components were analyzed in function of mechanical and thermal effects that generated the residual stresses.