Effect of the interaction between depth of cut and height-to-width ratio of a workpiece on vibration amplitude during face milling of C45 steel

The present paper deals with the evaluation of vibrations during rough face milling of C45 steel widely used for producing general engineering parts. Because of its good machinability and excellent tensile properties, commonly, there is no much attention to vibration impact on the machining system specifically when setting the workpiece for rough face milling. So, through time of services, some deviations in the cutting precision are suspected to be generated by vibration amplitude. Therefore, the aim of the present work is to analyze vibration signal on a common industrial rough face milling using a 50-mm face mill cutter—050Q22-12H 5 Tip—and carried out on a box-shaped raw part clamped by a vice. Results are expressed as vibration amplitude in terms of tool wear, direction of cut, depth of cut, and height-to-width ratio of the workpiece. First, up to a tool wear of 0.2 mm, vibration amplitude remains constant. Second, vibration amplitudes in the cutting direction are the most significant comparing with those in the transverse and the spindle directions. Finally, for constant cutting speed, and feed rate, height-to width-ratio above 1.5, the depth of cut has little effect below a height-to-width ratio below 1.5. Above this ratio, vibration amplitudes for a depth of cut of 3 mm are higher than those measured for a depth of cut of 4 mm. This has been attributed to tool wear resistance. As a recommendation, the present investigation suggests that when face milling a workpiece, the over vice height of the workpiece should not exceed 1.5 times its width.