The influence of milling parameters on surface integrity of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy

Abstract This study investigates the surface integrity of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy in milling operations. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was employed to analyze the impact of milling parameters, including cutting speed ( v c ) and feed per tooth ( f z ) and their interaction effect ( v c × f z ), on surface roughness, residual stress distribution, and surface work hardening of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy. The three-dimensional response surface analysis revealed that when v c was set to 800 mm/min and f z was 0.06 mm/z, a minimum surface roughness (Ra) of 0.049 μm was obtained, and a -60 MPa gradient residual compressive stress layer was induced. The work hardening rate was found to exhibit a nonlinear variation due to the interaction of parameters, with a peak value of 114% observed at v c × f z . The findings lay a foundation for future research aimed at improving the service performance of this alloy, which is of great significance for enhancing its service reliability in the aerospace field.