Effect of Cutting Forces on Surface Roughness for Varying Depth of Cut and Feed Rates in Milling Machining Process

The aim of this study is to evaluate characteristics of cutting force at varying cutting conditions during milling machining process. Firstly, material selected as the work piece to be machined was aluminium whereby the cutting forces during actual milling process at varying cutting conditions were measured using a Kistler dynamometer. The milling process consisted of circular shaped aluminium product of 60 mm diameter. The cutting parameters that were varied consist of cutting speed, spindle speed, feed rate and depth of cut. Depth of cuts of 1 mm, 2 mm and 2.5 mm along with the spindle speeds of 500 rpm, 1000 rpm and 1500 rpm were selected for this study. Next, the cutting forces characteristics were will be analysed by using a Fast Fourier Transform methods through the MATLAB software. Analyses of the cutting forces showed harmonics frequencies of varying amplitudes. Next, the surface roughness and roundness of the cut materials were analysed. These analyses provide insight into factors that give most influence on the quality of the cut materials for varying characteristics of cutting forces, thus enabling effective strategies to be implemented for damping of the high frequencies cutting forces. Results obtained showed that higher magnitude components of the cutting forces were produced at greater spindle speed and depth of cut. Meanwhile, improvement in quality of surface roughness were measured at higher spindle speed.