Machining simulation of titanium alloy under different cutting methods

Abstract Titanium alloy is difficult to machine due to its low thermal conductivity, high strength, and low machining efficiency, posing a significant challenge to the machining process. This study investigates the machining performance of Ti6Al4V under conventional turning (CT), micro-texture turning (MT), ultrasonic vibration turning (UVT), and micro-texture coupled with ultrasonic vibration turning (MT+UVT). A three-dimensional finite element simulation was conducted to compare cutting force and tool temperature across these methods. The results show that MT, UVT, and MT+UVT significantly improve machining performance compared to CT. MT reduces friction by decreasing the tool-chip contact area, UVT enables intermittent cutting through high-frequency vibration, and MT+UVT combines both advantages, achieving the greatest reduction in cutting force and tool temperature. This study provides valuable insights for the efficient machining of titanium alloys.