Development of a white-box model for predicting in-process thermo-mechanical loading on PVD-coated carbide tools
Wear, vol. 586, pp. 206458
Abstract
PVD coatings are widely used to improve tool life and machining efficiency, yet accurate tool-life prediction remains challenging because thin layers require very fine meshes, coating wear mechanisms are complex, and the coating-substrate interface introduces difficult thermal and mechanical boundary conditions. Traditional white-box models frequently neglect coating effects due to simplified assumptions, whereas black-box models capture complexity but lack physical interpretability. Grey-box approaches offer a promising compromise but require detailed coating- and load-dependent datasets. This study develops a finite-element (FE) model to predict in-process thermo-mechanical loading on PVD-coated carbide tools. The white-box model supports the extensive experimental testing typically required to generate thermo-mechanical load tables for grey-box tool-life prediction. Monolayer TiAlCrSiN and bilayer TiAlCrSiN/TiAlCrSiON coatings-commercially established and representative of industrial thermal-barrier behaviour were tested in orthogonal cutting of C45 + N steel. Cutting forces and tool temperatures were measured using a dynamometer and an embedded two-colour pyrometer for model validation. The model reproduces forces and temperatures with deviations below 10 % and shows that tool wear strongly affects local thermo-mechanical load distributions, while global loads remain similar between the coatings. Friction characterization reveals a tribological advantage of the bilayer coating, with reduced interface friction and smoother surfaces. High-resolution stress and temperature fields are correlated with coating properties to improve wear modelling and provide structured inputs for future grey-box model development.
Authors 6
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Affiliation as printed
Manufacturing Technology Institute, RWTH Aachen University, Campus-Boulevard 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Manufacturing Technology Institute, RWTH Aachen University, Campus-Boulevard 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Manufacturing Technology Institute, RWTH Aachen University, Campus-Boulevard 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Surface Engineering Institute, RWTH Aachen University, Kackertstrasse 15, 52072, Aachen, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Surface Engineering Institute, RWTH Aachen University, Kackertstrasse 15, 52072, Aachen, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Surface Engineering Institute, RWTH Aachen University, Kackertstrasse 15, 52072, Aachen, Germany
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