Experimental Evaluation of Surface Roughness, Burr Formation, and Tool Wear during Micro-Milling of Titanium Grade 9 (Ti-3Al-2.5V) Using Statistical Evaluation Methods

Abstract

Titanium grade 9 (Ti-3Al-2.5V) stands out as a preferred material in various industrial applications because of its suitable properties. Its applications span diverse sectors, including precision manufacturing, where it is utilized to produce honeycomb structures for advanced aeronautics, as well as for certain biomedical components. In parallel, micro-milling has gained widespread utilization across medical, aerospace, and electronic industries due to the increasing demand for miniature products in these domains. This current research study aims to explore the impact of various micro-milling process parameters—specifically, feed rate, cutting speed, and depth of cut—on the surface quality, burr formation, and tool flank wear of titanium grade 9. Research findings reveal that the feed rate plays a major role in influencing surface roughness (contribution ratio (CR): 62.96%) and burr formation (CR: 55.20%). Similarly, cutting speed and depth of cut significantly affect surface roughness, contributing 20.32% and 9.27%, respectively, but are insignificant factors for burr width. Tool flank wear is primarily influenced by cutting speed (CR: 54.02%), with feed rate contributing 33.18%. Additionally, the feed rate and cutting speed are significant factors in determining the length of the burr, with contribution ratios of 77.70% and 7.77%, respectively. Confirmatory tests conducted at optimum parameters selected from the main effects plot validated the experimental results.