Mechanism of Chip

Formation

Knowledge of basic mechanism(s) of chip formation helps to understand the

characteristics of chips and to attain favourable chip forms
Machining is a semi-finishing or finishing process essentially done to impart
required or stipulated dimensions and form accuracy and surface finish to
enable the product to;
• fulfill its basic functional requirements
• provide better or improved performance
• render long service life.

Machining is a process of gradual removal of excess material from the preformed

blanks in the form of chips. The form of the chips is an important index of
machining because it directly or indirectly indicates;
• Nature and behavior of the work material under machining condition
• Specific energy requirement (amount of energy required to remove unit volume
of work material) in machining work
• Nature and degree of interaction at the chip-tool interfaces.

The form of machined chips depend mainly upon;

• Work material
• Material and geometry of the cutting tool
• Levels of cutting velocity and feed and also to some extent on depth of cut
• Machining environment or cutting fluid that affects temperature and friction at
the chip
tool and work-tool interfaces
Mechanism of chip formation in machining
ductile materials
During continuous machining the uncut layer of the work material just ahead of
the cutting tool (edge) is subjected to almost all sided compression as indicated
in Fig.1
The force exerted by the tool on the chip arises out of the normal force, N and
frictional force, F as indicated in Fig.1.
Due to such compression, shear stress develops,
within that compressed region, in different
magnitude, in different directions and rapidly
increases in magnitude. Whenever and wherever
the value of the shear stress reaches or exceeds the
shear strength of that work material in the
deformation region, yielding or slip takes place
resulting shear deformation in that region and
the plane of maximum shear stress. But the forces
causing the shear stresses in the region of the chip
quickly diminishes and finally disappears while that region moves along the tool
rake surface towards and then goes beyond the point of chip-tool engagement.
 As a result the slip or shear stops propagating long before total separation takes
place. In the mean time the succeeding portion of the chip starts undergoing
compression followed by yielding and shear. This phenomenon repeats rapidly
resulting in formation and removal of chips in thin layer by layer Fig.2.
The lower surface becomes smooth due to
further plastic deformation due to intensive
rubbing with the tool at high pressure and
temperature. The pattern of shear deformation
by lamellar sliding, indicated in the model, can
also be seen in actual chips by proper mounting,
etching and polishing the side surface of the
machining chip and observing under microscope.
The pattern and extent of total deformation
of the chips due to the primary and the
secondary shear deformations of the chips
ahead and along the tool
face. as indicated in Fig. 3, depend upon
• work material
• tool; material and geometry
• the machining speed (VC) and feed (So)
• cutting fluid application
 Mechanism of chip formation in machining
brittle materials
The basic two mechanisms involved in chip formation are;
• Yielding – generally for ductile materials
• Brittle fracture – generally for brittle materials
During machining, first a small crack develops
at the tool tip as shown in Fig.4 due to wedging
action of the cutting edge. At the sharp crack-tip
stress concentration takes place. In case of ductile
materials immediately yielding takes place at the
crack-tip and reduces the effect of stress
concentration and prevents its propagation as
crack. But in case of brittle materials the initiated crack quickly propagates, under
stressing action, and total separation takes place from the parent workpiece through the
minimum resistance path as indicated in Fig. 5.5. Machining of brittle material
produces discontinuous chips and mostly of irregular size and shape. The process of
forming such chips is schematically shown in Fig. 5.
 Built-up-Edge (BUE) formation
 Causes of formation;
In machining ductile metals like steels with long chip-tool
contact length, lot of stress and temperature develops in the
secondary deformation zone at the chip-tool interface. Under
such high stress and temperature in between two clean surfaces
of metals, strong bonding may locally take place due to adhesion
similar to welding. Such bonding will be encouraged and
accelerated if the chip tool materials have mutual affinity or
solubility. The weldment starts forming as an embryo at the most
favourable location and thus gradually grows as schematically
shown in Fig.6
 Counti…
With the growth of the BUE, the force, F (shown in
Fig. 5.11) also gradually increases due to wedging action
of the tool tip along with the BUE formed on it.
Whenever the force, F exceeds the bonding force of
the BUE, the BUE is broken or sheared off and taken
away by the flowing chip. Then again BUE starts
forming and growing. This goes on repeatedly
 Characteristics of BUE
 Built-up-edges are characterized by its shape, size and
bond strength, which depend upon;
• work tool materials
• stress and temperature, i.e., cutting velocity and feed
• cutting fluid application governing cooling and lubrication.
BUE may develop basically in three different shapes as
schematically shown in Fig.7
 Counti….
In machining too soft and ductile metals by tools like high speed steel
or uncoated carbide the BUE may grow larger and overflow towards the
finished surface through the flank as shown in Fig.8.
While the major part of the detached BUE goes away along the flowing
chip, a small part of the BUE may remain stuck on the machined
surface and spoils the surface finish. BUE formation needs certain level
of temperature at the interface depending upon the mutual affinity of
the work-tool materials. With the increase in VC and so the cutting
temperature rises and favours BUE formation. But if VC is raised too
high beyond certain limit, BUE will be squashed out by the flowing
chip before the BUE grows.
 Effects of BUE formation

Formation of BUE causes several harmful effects, such as;

• It unfavourably changes the rake angle at the tool tip
causing increase in cutting forces and power consumption.
• Repeated formation and dislodgement of the BUE causes
fluctuation in cutting forces and thus induces vibration
which is harmful for the tool, job and the machine tool.
• Surface finish gets deteriorated.
• May reduce tool life by accelerating tool-wear at its rake
surface by adhesion and flaking Occasionally, formation of
thin flat type stable BUE may reduce tool wear at the rake
face.
END