Prediction of chip flow direction, cutting forces and surface roughness in finish turning

A method is described for calculating the chip flow direction in terms of the tool cutting edge geometry and cutting conditions. By defining an equivalent cutting edge based on the chip flow direction it is shown how cutting forces can be predicted under finishing conditions when the work material's flow stress and thermal properties are known. A comparison between predicted and experimental results obtained for a range of tool geometries and cutting conditions shows good agreement. Surface roughness R-a values measured in the tests are compared with the theoretical v values determined from the nose radius and feed.