A simulation based guide to machinability assessment

Research Project, 2017 – 2020

We are concerned with the development of a machinability guide implemented based on virtual simulations, integrating inter-disciplinary research in the areas of metal cutting, machining-system dynamics and computational material science. In fact, short tool life and long machining cycles are generally regarded as key challenges in reducing lead times in the production lines. This problem becomes particularly important when a new material grade is to be introduced to meet the present day design targets - typically related to light weighting. The simulation based guide thereby represents a generic tool to transfer simulated machinability data to the production. The new tool will enable the industrial end-users to significantly shorten the lead-times associated with the introduction of new materials and management of materials variation in production.  As a result, we expect up to 75% reduction of experimental ”trial-and-error” work in production shop-floors along with significant cost saving and minimization of waste. This is why robust integration of reliable CAE approaches in symbiosis with experimental methods is so important to reduce the time and costs needed for the process planning.  Moreover, increase in the quality of production of engine critical components will be attained, given the capability to accurately predict and optimize the machining operations.

The project will be carried out by a consortium of four industrial partners, AB Volvo, VCC, Scania CV AB and AB Sandvik Coromant, and two main academic partners, Chalmers – MCR and KTH – DMMS. The main applicant is Professor Ragnar Larsson, dept. of Applied Mechanics, Chalmers. The project is planned as a three year project (starting 2017-08-31) with a total budget of 12.605MSEK, where 5.55MSEK is sought from Vinnova.