Key Engineering Materials Vols 431-432 (2010) pp 229-232 Online: 2010-03-02

© (2010) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland

doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.431-432.229

Finite Element Simulation of Drilling Based on

Third Wave Systems AdvantEdge

Rongdi Han1 and Jian Wu1,a

1
School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China, 150001
a
wujianhit2008@yahoo.com.cn

Keywords: Finite element simulation, Drilling, Ti6Al4V, Drilling temperature

Abstract. Drilling is one of the most complex machining processes. The 3D coupled
thermo-mechanical model was developed based on Third Wave Systems AdvantEdge to study the
drilling process. The workpiece was set as elastic-plastic model, which considering strains hardening,
heat generation of friction in tool-chip interface and shearing deformation. Adaptive meshing
technology was used, the mesh of work region refined. Contrast tests were conducted to study the
chip, drilling forces and drilling temperature in drilling 45 steel and TI6AL4V. Results indicated that
the results of simulation were according to experimental results; the torque of drilling TI6AL4V was
less than that of drilling 45 steel, but the drilling temperature was higher than that of drilling 45 steel.
Thus, finite element simulation is also an important tool to study the drilling process.

Introduction
Drilling is one of the complex machining processes, which have been widely applied in
manufacturing area. It accounts for 50% of the total mechanical machining processes in automotive
industry. The proportion in aircraft industry is higher [1]. It is necessary to study the drilling process
due to the increasement of demands for improving surface accuracy and productivity.
With the development of computer technology, the finite element method (FEM) was widely used
in machining simulation. Many related investigations were carried out for machining simulation in
and abroad. A 2D cutting simulation model for Chip Formation was developed in High-Speed
Machining by Marusich and Ortiz [2]. Commercial software MSC.Marc、Deform2D and Thirdwave
AdvantEdge was used for orthogonal cutting simulation by Halil Bil.et al. [3]. Klocke. et al. [4] also
did some similar investigations on cutting simulation by using Deform2d. There are few related
investigations on drilling simulation due to the complexity of boundary condition and drill bit. A
finite element model was developed for studying the burr formation in Drilling by Guo and
Vijayaraghavan [5-6]. Sung-Chong Chung developed a model to estimate the cutting temperature
distribution based on remote temperature measurement and finite element methods were used to
verify the estimated drilling temperature [7].
In this study, a 3D coupled thermo-mechanical model was developed based on Third Wave
Systems AdvantEdge to study the drilling process. The drilling forces and temperature was
investigated in drilling AISI 1045 and Ti6Al4V by finite element method, and related drilling tests
were done for verifying the predicted results.

Finite Element Model of Drilling

Mesh of Drill Bit and Workpiece. Tetrahedral elements were used for meshing of drill bit and
workpiece in Third Wave Systems AdvantEdge by default, as shown in Fig.1and Fig.2. The
separation of the chip material from the workpiece is achieved by remeshing, and the mesh of cutting
region is automatically refined. The workpiece was set as elastic-plastic model.

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230 Machining and Advanced Manufacturing Technology X

Fig.1 Meshing of drill bit Fig.2 Meshing of deformed workpiece

Material Model. The material model has a great effect on the accuracy of the finite element
models. For studying the plastic deformation behavior of a given metal it is appropriate to consider
uniform or homogeneous deformation conditions.
The material model used in Third Wave Systems AdvantEdge can be given by the following
equations:

σ(εp,J1, ε& p ,T)=[g(εp)+DP0∗ J1]∗Γ( ε& p )∗Θ(T) (1)

p
where σ is the flow stress, εp is the plastic strain, J1 is the hydrostatic pressure, ε is strain rate, T is
&
the temperature, g(εp) is the strain hardening, DP0 is the hydrostatic stress coefficient, Γ( ε& p ) is the
strain rate sensitivity and Θ(T) is the thermal softening [8].
Chip separation criteria. The damage used in Third Wave Systems AdvantEdge is represented by
the following equation:

∆ε ip
D=∑ (2)
i ε fip
where D is the dimensionless cumulative damage, ∆ε ip is the instantaneous increment of strain, and
ε fip is the instantaneous strain to failure[8].

Simulation and Experiment Results

Drilling Experiment. Dry drilling process was operated on the vertical drill press Z5125A. The
drilling torque and the thrust were measured with thin-walled resistance strain dynamometer. The
drilling temperature was measured by K type thermocouples, which was inserted below the workpiece
(Fig.3). The voltage signals were acquired via a data acquisition card (HY6022), which were
connected to an A/D converter. Data was stored on a personal computer and displayed by user
interface in real time.
China standard HSS twist drill with diameter of φ 6.8mm was used. AISI 1045 and Ti6Al4V with
thickness of 12 mm were used as workpiece. Table 1 provides detailed information on mechanical

Table 1 Mechanical properties of the material

Yield Elongation Impact strength Conductivity
Workpiece Hardness
stress δ ak k
materials HBS
σb [%] [MJ/m2] [W/(m⋅°C)]
AISI1045 229 0.598 16 0.491 50.2
Ti6Al4V 350 0.903 10 0.3924 7.5
 Key Engineering Materials Vols. 431-432 231

Fig.3 Temperature measuring schematic diagram

properties of materials. The tests were carried out under the conditions with the feed rates of 0.056、
0.112、0.224 mm/r and the drilling velocities of 6.7、10.7、17 m/min.
Results and Discussions. The predicted maximum temperature in drilling AISI 1045 and
Ti6Al4V with the velocity of 17 m/min, the feed rate of 0.224 mm/r was 321°C and 449°C, and the
measured one was 311°C and 410°C, respectively.
It can be seen that the predicted results were according to the measured ones, and the errors were
less than 15%。The drilling temperature in drilling Ti6Al4V was higher than that in drilling AISI
1045 due to lower conductivity of the former. The temperature of the drill bit in outer margin was
higher due to the larger velocity.
Fig.4 showed the curves of the predicted drilling forces with the velocity of 17 m/min, the feed rate
of 0.112 mm/r. The predicted torque was 2.6 N·m and 2.4 N·m, the measured one was 2.2 N·m and
2.0 N·m in drilling AISI 1045 and Ti6Al4V, respectively; and the predicted thrust was 1020 N and
1150 N, the measured one was 814 N and 974 N, correspondingly.
It can be seen that, the errors between predicted and measured results were less than 20%; The
torque in drilling AISI 1045 was larger than that in drilling Ti6Al4V due to the lower elastic modular
of the latter; The thrust in drilling AISI 1045 was smaller than that in drilling Ti6Al4V due to the
higher yield stress of the latter.
Fig.5 showed the predicted and measured drilling temperature in drilling Ti6Al4V with various
feed rates and drilling velocities.
It can be seen that the predicted results were higher than measured ones. And the errors were less
than 15%. The predicted results were based on the finite element model, so some real conditions were
ignored, so the predicted results may be higher than the measured results.

Summary
(1) The temperature in outer margin of drill bit was higher, the temperature in drilling Ti6Al4V was
higher than 400°C when vc=17 m/min, f=0.224 mm/r.

a AISI 1045 b Ti6Al4V

Fig.4 The torque and thrust of drilling 45 steel and TI6AL4V , when vc=17 m/min, f=0.112 mm/r
232 Machining and Advanced Manufacturing Technology X

500 Experiment 500 Experiment

450 Third Wave AdvantEdge
450 Third Wave AdvantEdge
400 400
350 350
Temperature( C)

Temperature( C)
300 300
¡£

¡£
250 250
200 200
150 150
100 100
50 50
0 0
0.056 mm/rev 0.112 mm/rev 0.224 mm/rev 0.056 mm/rev 0.112 mm/rev 0.224 mm/rev
a 6.7 m/min b 10.7 m/min
Experiment
500 Third Wave AdvantEdge
450
400
350
Temperature( C)

300
¡£

250
200
150
100
50
0
0.056 mm/rev 0.112 mm/rev 0.224 mm/rev
c 17 m/min
Fig.5 The contrast results of drilling temperature in drilling Ti6Al4V

(2) The laws obtained from the simulation were according to that from experiment. The drilling
temperature in drilling Ti6Al4V was higher than that in drilling AISI 1045; the torque of the former
was smaller than that of the latter; the thrust of the former was larger than that of the latter.
(3) The errors between predicted results and experiment results were less than 20%.
(4) Finite element method is a useful tool to study the drilling process.

References
[1] L.S. Xiong, H.M. Shi, and Y.J. Chen: Tool Engineering, Vol. 39 (8) (2005), pp.11-14. (In
Chinese)
[2] T. Marusich and M. Ortiz: International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering, Vol. 38
(1995), pp.3675-3694.
[3] B. Halil, S. Engin and et al.: International Journal of Machine Tools & Manufacture, Vol. 44
(2004), pp.933-944.
[4] F. Klocke, H. Raedt and S. Hoppe: ASME Transactions, Machining Science and Technology,
Vol. 5 (3) (2001), pp.323-340.
[5] Y.B. Guo and D.A. Dornfeld: ASME Transactions, Journal of Manufacturing Science and
Engineering Vol. 122 (2001), pp.612-619.
[6] A. Vijayaraghavan: University of California at Berkeley.2005, Report.
[7] S.C. Chung: International Journal of Machine Tools & Manufacture Vol. 45 (2005),
pp.1641-1651.
[8] Third Wave AdvantEdge™. User’s Manual Version 5.1 Third-wave Systems, USA, 2007.
Machining and Advanced Manufacturing Technology X
10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.431-432

Finite Element Simulation of Drilling Based on Third Wave Systems AdvantEdge

10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.431-432.229

DOI References
[2] T. Marusich and M. Ortiz: International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering, Vol. 38 (1995),
pp.3675-3694.
doi:10.1002/nme.1620382108
[3] B. Halil, S. Engin and et al.: International Journal of Machine Tools & Manufacture, Vol. 44 (2004),
pp.933-944.
doi:10.1016/j.ijmachtools.2004.01.016
[4] F. Klocke, H. Raedt and S. Hoppe: ASME Transactions, Machining Science and Technology, Vol. 5 (3)
(2001), pp.323-340.
doi:10.1081/MST-100108618
[5] Y.B. Guo and D.A. Dornfeld: ASME Transactions, Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering
Vol. 122 (2001), pp.612-619.
doi:10.1115/1.1285885
[7] S.C. Chung: International Journal of Machine Tools & Manufacture Vol. 45 (2005), pp.1641-1651.
doi:10.1016/j.ijmachtools.2005.03.012