DEM-simulation of particle behaviour during cutting edge preparation of micro-milling tools by immersed tumbling

The micro-milling process is widely used in industry for the manufacturing of complex geometries for a wide range of materials. To increase the tool life and cutting length the cutting edge preparation could be successfully established. Within preliminary investigations the immersed tumbling process was identified as the most promising process for cutting edge preparation of micro-milling tools. The process enables a reproducible cutting edge preparation with constant cutting edge radii as well as low chipping of the cutting edges. For a profound understanding of the preparation process and the process mechanisms further knowledge about the particle interactions with cutting tools as well as the particle flow mechanisms needs to be obtained. Therefore, the process simulation using discrete element methods (DEM) offers the possibility of an improved understanding of the process behaviour. In this investigation simulation studies about the cutting edge preparation of micr o-milling tools using the immersed tumbling process will be presented. The DEM with the software ROCKY DEM from the company ESSS, Florianópolis, Brasil, was used and a process model was derived. The investigations show that the software can be successfully used for the visualisation of the immersed tumbling process and the flow mechanisms can be examined more closely.