Investigation on the mechanism of serrated chip formation and surface microstructure evolution during high-speed cutting of ATI 718plus superalloy

ATI 718plus is a novel nickel-based high-temperature alloy that delivers superior mechanical properties and higher working temperatures compared to the In718 superalloy. In order to study the machinability of ATI 718plus, a combination of experiments and finite element simulation is used to explore the mechanism of serrated chip formation and the evolution of microstructure under high-speed cutting conditions. Firstly, the Johnson-Cook constitutive model parameters of the ATI 718plus alloy were obtained through a split Hopkinson pressure bar experiment. Secondly, we established a 2D orthogonal cutting model on the AdvantEdge FEM platform by implementing the Johnson-Cook constitutive model and damage model via a custom subroutine. Through the comparison of orthogonal cutting experimental data and finite element simulation results, we verified the accuracy of the finite element model and analyzed the mechanism of serrated chip formation. Finally, combining the multi-physics field distribution of different parameters from the finite element simulation and EBSD test results, it is revealed that the microstructural evolution mechanism during the high-speed cutting of ATI 718plus involves grain lamellar refinement induced by CDRX and grain growth induced by DDRX. The interaction of these two processes results in different forms of microstructures. Under specific cutting parameters, a superfine grain layer with a thickness of 10 µm was formed on the machined surface, which holds great referential significance for our control and improvement of the surface properties in cutting machining.