A novel discrete-edge ball end milling cutter: Suitable for milling weakly rigid curved CFRP parts

Reducing milling force is one of the most important methods to ensure the profile of weakly rigid curved CFRP parts. In this regard, reducing the effective cutting-edge length is the most effective way to reduce milling force. However, an unreasonable reduction of effective cutting-edge length significantly reduces the material removal efficiency and may even lead to surface damages such as burr. To address this issue, in this study, a novel cutting force control principle by studying the influencing factors of effective cutting edge length is proposed: cutting width discretization. Secondly, considering the relationship between the discrete-edge structure of the tool and the critical condition of effective removal of CFRP material, a structural design method of discrete-edge ball end milling cutter was proposed. Through experimental tests, it is found that compared with the continuous edge ball end milling cutter, applying discrete-edge ball end milling cutter reduces the milling force by 43% and the contour enhancement of weakly rigid curved CFRP member after milling is about 23% under the premise of ensuring same processing conditions. The obtained results provide a reference to design high-quality machining tools for CFRP curved components. The raw/processed data required to reproduce these findings cannot be shared at this time as the data are part of an ongoing study.