Experimental Study on Machining Shape Hole of Ni-based Super-heat-resistant Alloy

摘要

Inconel 718 and Waspaloy, Nickel-based super-heat-resistant alloy, are high-strength, thermal-resistant and corrosion-resistant alloy that are widely used in parts of gas turbines and airplane engines. Due to their extremely tough and thermal-resistant nature, they are well known as materials that are difficult to cut. Shape holes on a disc of an aircraft engine, made of Ni-based super-heat-resistant alloy, are required with good surface integrity and geometric accuracy. This kind of shape hole is produced by EDM (Electro-discharge machining) currently. It is necessary to investigate an alternative machining process to reduce the process time and improve the surface quality. This paper presents an experimental study on the machining methods for the shape hole of Ni-base super-heat-resistant alloy Inconel 718 and Waspaloy. The feasibility using milling or/and grinding as an alternative for currently EDM process to machine shape holes is assessed by observing the wear and breakage of the cutting tools and grinder and analyzing the hole surface integrity and geometric accuracy. The results show that the milling process of Inconel 718 and Waspaloy can produce shape holes with acceptable surface roughness and geometric accuracy efficiently. The machined Waspaloy shape holes reveal a slight decrease tendency in section dimension from the top of the its bottom. There is a larger deviation from the nominal profile at the segment with smaller radius. A thin softened surface layer with thickness smaller than 60 μm occurs on the machined Waspaloy shape holes. The softening and work hardening become remarkable with the progress of tool wear.