Optimisation of cutting parameters for burr minimization in face-milling operations

Abstract

Burrs formed during face milling operations can be very difficult to characterize since there exist several parameters which have complex combined effects that affect the cutting process. Many researchers have attempted to predict burr characteristics including burr size and shape, using various experimental parameters such as cutting speed, feed rate, in-plane exit angle, and number of inserts. However, the results of these studies tend to be limited to a specific process parameter range and to certain materials. In this paper, the Taguchi method--which is a systematic optimisation method for design and analysis of experiments--is introduced to acquire optimum cutting conditions for burr minimization. In addition, analysis of variance (ANOVA) is employed to study more detailed performance characteristics. Experimental verifications are provided to show the effectiveness of this approach.