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Low-temperature synergy with high-speed cutting: Solving the thermal challenges of titanium alloy machining

Titanium alloy, due to its high-temperature resistance and high specific strength, has become a core material in the aerospace industry. However, its machining has long been plagued by the "curse of thermal damage." Data shows that the thermal conductivity of titanium alloy is only one-fifth that of 45-grade steel. During cutting, 90% of the heat is concentrated in the cutting edge, which can easily cause problems such as tool sticking and workpiece deformation. Traditional machining efficiency is less than one-third that of ordinary steel.

Now, the synergistic technology of cryogenic nitrogen and high-speed cutting is breaking this deadlock. A team has developed a semiconductor refrigeration device that can reduce the cutting zone temperature to -50°C. Combined with minimal lubrication technology, it forms a "cold lubricating protective layer" that not only reduces the chemical activity of titanium alloy at high temperatures but also prevents chip-tool adhesion. In milling tests on Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy, this technology reduced tool wear by 62% and extended tool life from 80 minutes to 210 minutes.

The introduction of high-speed cutting has further magnified the advantages of cryogenic technology. When cutting speeds are increased to three times that of traditional processes, chips can be released from the workpiece within 0.02 seconds, dissipating over 75% of the cutting heat, keeping the workpiece surface temperature below 300°C and reducing deformation of thin-walled parts from 0.1mm/m to 0.03mm/m. After applying this combined technology, an aviation company reduced the machining cycle for titanium alloy engine casings from 15 days to 4 days, and optimized the surface roughness Ra from 1.6μm to 0.8μm, fully meeting the requirements for precision components.

This green machining solution simultaneously addresses the cost and environmental challenges associated with traditional cutting fluids, clearing a key obstacle to the large-scale application of titanium alloys.