Modelling of heat generation and transfer in metal cutting: a short review

This paper overviews thermal fundamentals in metal cutting process for the determination of the amount of heat in the cutting zone which represents the interfaces between the cutting tool, the chip and the workpiece materials. Different measuring and predicting techniques of the tool-chip contact temperature and corresponding heat flux based on the estimated heat partition are outlined. The main focus was on the differently coated cutting tools and their role in controlling thermal behaviour of the cutting process. The computed algorithms for analytical and numerical methods as well as their main advantages and disadvantages, and practical applications in machining are overviewed. A number of practical solutions obtained in the Department of Manufacturing Engineering, TU of Opole are presented.