Material Modelling and Cutting Force Coefficients for Milling of A390 Aluminium Alloy

Machining of Aluminium alloys in automotive has renewed interest with pressing needs for improving sustainability through light weight design of high-performance engineering components. The study investigates the machining behaviour of aluminium alloy A390, a high-silicon cast material widely used in automotive engine components for its superior castability, strength-to-weight ratio, and wear resistance. Employing an uncoated solid end mill, comparative assessments of cutting force coefficients (CFCs) were conducted for A390 and aluminium 6082 T651. To facilitate FE simulation during the end milling in A390 alloys, a Johnson Cook (JC) model is developed. Material testing at varying temperatures and strain rates using the Gleeble thermo mechanical simulator is also presented. The obtained flow stress curves are used to describe the mechanical behaviour of A390 alloy in Thirdwave AdvantEdge for milling simulations. Further, the influence of coatings and tool grinding quality was examined experimentally. Overall, the results indicated that A390 exhibits lower CFCs than 6082 T651. The flow stress data provide improved understanding of the material behaviour and enables the building of simulation models for A390 alloy machining. The study also shows the impact of coatings and precision grinding processes in the machinability of A390 alloys. The overall study provides a basis for design of high-performance cutting tools for machining of high silicon Aluminium alloys.