Development of a low-frequency vibration–assisted turning device for nickel-based alloys

As a typical and difficult-to-machine material that is widely used in aerospace and aviation fields, the high-quality and efficient machining of nickel-based alloys has long been relevant to advances in mechanical machining. However, the existence of concentrated forces and heat can reduce the machining stability of nickel-based alloys, leading to tool wear and work hardening, thereby affecting the flow direction and fracture of chips. Therefore, a novel low-frequency vibration–assisted turning device is developed by using an adjustable dual eccentric mechanism in this paper. The chip separation conditions of low-frequency vibration turning are analyzed. The relationship between cutting parameters and cutting force, cutting temperature, tool wear, workpiece surface morphology, and tool life was experimentally studied. The experimental results demonstrate that the low-frequency vibration–assisted turning device can effectively suppress cutting force fluctuations, reduce cutting temperature, delay tool wear speed, improve surface quality, and increase tool life, satisfying the high-quality and efficient machining requirements of nickel-based alloys. These research results can provide theoretical support for the problem of chip breakage in difficult-to-machine materials and the study of low-frequency vibration–assisted cutting technology.