Particle-reinforced MMCs (pMMC) such as aluminum alloys reinforced with ceramic silicon carbide particles (AlSiC) require special cutting tools due to the high hardness and abrasive properties of the ceramic particles. Diamond coated cutting tools are ideal for machining this type of pMMC. Previous research studies focus on the machinability of pMMCs with low ceramic content. The aim of this research is to determine the optimal cutting parameters for machining AlSiC material containing high silicon carbide particle reinforcement (>25%). The optimal cutting parameters are determined by investigating the relationship between cutting forces, tool wear, burr formation, surface roughness, and material removal rate (MRR). Experimental milling tests are conducted using CVD diamond coated end mills and non-diamond tungsten carbide end mills. It was found that low tool rotation speeds, feed rates and depths of cut are necessary to achieve smoother surface finishes of R a < 1 μm. A high MRR to low tool wear and surface roughness ratio was obtainable at a tool rotation speed of 6500 r/min, feed rate of 762 mm/min and depth of cut of 3 mm. Results showed that a smooth surface roughness of the workpiece material was achieved with non-diamond tungsten carbide end mills, however, this was at the expense of extreme tool wear and high burr formation. The use of coolant caused a 50% increase in tool wear compared to the dry-cutting experiments which had lower cutting tool forces.
","abstract_html":"<p>Particle-reinforced MMCs (pMMC) such as aluminum alloys reinforced with ceramic silicon carbide particles (AlSiC) require special cutting tools due to the high hardness and abrasive properties of the ceramic particles. Diamond coated cutting tools are ideal for machining this type of pMMC. Previous research studies focus on the machinability of pMMCs with low ceramic content. The aim of this research is to determine the optimal cutting parameters for machining AlSiC material containing high silicon carbide particle reinforcement (>25%). The optimal cutting parameters are determined by investigating the relationship between cutting forces, tool wear, burr formation, surface roughness, and material removal rate (MRR). Experimental milling tests are conducted using CVD diamond coated end mills and non-diamond tungsten carbide end mills. It was found that low tool rotation speeds, feed rates and depths of cut are necessary to achieve smoother surface finishes of R a < 1 μm. A high MRR to low tool wear and surface roughness ratio was obtainable at a tool rotation speed of 6500 r/min, feed rate of 762 mm/min and depth of cut of 3 mm. Results showed that a smooth surface roughness of the workpiece material was achieved with non-diamond tungsten carbide end mills, however, this was at the expense of extreme tool wear and high burr formation. The use of coolant caused a 50% increase in tool wear compared to the dry-cutting experiments which had lower cutting tool forces.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Vargas, Alexandro"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (M.S.)","degree_level":"Thesis - Pacific Access Restricted","degree_discipline":"Engineering","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Jiancheng Liu"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2017,"date_issued":"2017-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2017-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:36:09Z","subjects":["Mechanical engineering","Applied sciences","AlSiC pMMC","CVD diamond tool","MMC machinability","Machinability","Metal matrix composite","Milling","Engineering"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["9781369717471"],"render_values":[{"text":"9781369717471","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/215","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Jiancheng Liu"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Vargas, Alexandro"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2018-06-29T09:06:51Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis - Pacific Access Restricted"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (M.S.)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Mechanical engineering","Applied sciences","AlSiC pMMC","CVD diamond tool","MMC machinability","Machinability","Metal matrix composite","Milling","Engineering"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["9781369717471","https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/215"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Particle-reinforced MMCs (pMMC) such as aluminum alloys reinforced with ceramic silicon carbide particles (AlSiC) require special cutting tools due to the high hardness and abrasive properties of the ceramic particles. Diamond coated cutting tools are ideal for machining this type of pMMC. Previous research studies focus on the machinability of pMMCs with low ceramic content. The aim of this research is to determine the optimal cutting parameters for machining AlSiC material containing high silicon carbide particle reinforcement (>25%). The optimal cutting parameters are determined by investigating the relationship between cutting forces, tool wear, burr formation, surface roughness, and material removal rate (MRR). Experimental milling tests are conducted using CVD diamond coated end mills and non-diamond tungsten carbide end mills. It was found that low tool rotation speeds, feed rates and depths of cut are necessary to achieve smoother surface finishes of R a < 1 μm. A high MRR to low tool wear and surface roughness ratio was obtainable at a tool rotation speed of 6500 r/min, feed rate of 762 mm/min and depth of cut of 3 mm. Results showed that a smooth surface roughness of the workpiece material was achieved with non-diamond tungsten carbide end mills, however, this was at the expense of extreme tool wear and high burr formation. The use of coolant caused a 50% increase in tool wear compared to the dry-cutting experiments which had lower cutting tool forces.
"]},{"key":"dc:source","label":"Dc Source","values":["107"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Machinability Study on Silicon Carbide Particle-Reinforced Aluminum Alloy Composite with CVD Diamond Coated Tools"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Jiancheng Liu"],"dc:creator":["Vargas, Alexandro"],"dc:date.available":["2018-06-29T09:06:51Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Particle-reinforced MMCs (pMMC) such as aluminum alloys reinforced with ceramic silicon carbide particles (AlSiC) require special cutting tools due to the high hardness and abrasive properties of the ceramic particles. Diamond coated cutting tools are ideal for machining this type of pMMC. Previous research studies focus on the machinability of pMMCs with low ceramic content. The aim of this research is to determine the optimal cutting parameters for machining AlSiC material containing high silicon carbide particle reinforcement (>25%). The optimal cutting parameters are determined by investigating the relationship between cutting forces, tool wear, burr formation, surface roughness, and material removal rate (MRR). Experimental milling tests are conducted using CVD diamond coated end mills and non-diamond tungsten carbide end mills. It was found that low tool rotation speeds, feed rates and depths of cut are necessary to achieve smoother surface finishes of R a < 1 μm. A high MRR to low tool wear and surface roughness ratio was obtainable at a tool rotation speed of 6500 r/min, feed rate of 762 mm/min and depth of cut of 3 mm. Results showed that a smooth surface roughness of the workpiece material was achieved with non-diamond tungsten carbide end mills, however, this was at the expense of extreme tool wear and high burr formation. The use of coolant caused a 50% increase in tool wear compared to the dry-cutting experiments which had lower cutting tool forces.
"],"dc:identifier":["9781369717471","https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/215"],"dc:rights":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:source":["107"],"dc:subject":["Mechanical engineering","Applied sciences","AlSiC pMMC","CVD diamond tool","MMC machinability","Machinability","Metal matrix composite","Milling","Engineering"],"dc:title":["Machinability Study on Silicon Carbide Particle-Reinforced Aluminum Alloy Composite with CVD Diamond Coated Tools"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Engineering"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis - Pacific Access Restricted"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (M.S.)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:36:09Z"}