Determination and Verification of the Johnson–Cook Constitutive Model Parameters in the Precision Machining of Ti6Al4V Alloy

Numerical simulations of the cutting process play a key role in manufacturing and cost optimization. Inherent in finite element analysis (FEA) simulations is the correct description of material behavior during machining. For this purpose, various material models are used to describe the behavior of the material in the range of high deformation, high temperature values, and high strain rates. Very often the Johnson–Cook (JC) material model is used for this purpose; however, the correct determination of the material constants of this model is a key aspect. Therefore, this paper presents a procedure for determining the material constants of the JC model using an analytical method based on normalized tensile and compression testing of the material for different strain rates over a wide temperature range. After determining the material constants, the authors conducted numerical simulations of the orthogonal turning of Ti6Al4V titanium alloy using the obtained constants. Validation of the obtained results with those obtained in experimental studies was also carried out. The outcomes demonstrated that the difference between FEM simulation and experimental tests did not exceed 0.02 mm (14%) in the case of chip thickness,. Much smaller differences were obtained for the temperature in the cutting zone, where the maximum difference was about 45 °C (4%). Comparing the components of the cutting force, we found that, in the case of the main cutting force, in most cases, the differences did not exceed 70 N (8%). After the verification of the obtained results, it was also found that the determined material constants of the Johnson–Cook model can be successfully used in FEM modeling of the cutting process of Ti6Al4V titanium alloy for the adopted range of values of technological parameters.