Analysis on specific cutting energy in micro milling of bulk metallic glass

Micro milling is a suitable micro cutting process to create micro features. This paper presents an analytical model of the specific cutting energy in micro cutting and analyses the specific cutting energy in micro milling of amorphous bulk metallic glass. The analytical results are compared with the experimental results, where the experimental work comprises of micro milling amorphous bulk metallic glass at different cutting speeds and a wide range of feed rates. The analytical model considers an isotropic and homogeneous work material that macroscopically resembles the bulk metallic glass. In the experimental study, the influence of the cutting parameters on the specific cutting energy and the surface roughness generated in micro end milling is analysed. Experimental results show appreciable dependence of specific cutting energy and surface roughness on the feed rate. Size effect phenomenon is exhibited in both the analytical and experimental values of the specific cutting energy. The micro mechanism behind the size effect in bulk metallic glasses is discussed in the article. Experimental results indicate that for feed per tooth higher than the cutting edge radius, increase in the feed rate results in the deterioration of the surface quality and reduced values of the specific cutting energy. Results of the experimental study show a decrease in the specific cutting energy and surface roughness values with the increase in the cutting speed.