On suppression of chip segmentation during cutting of Ti–6Al–4V alloy through control of texture rather than ductility

Understanding the crystallographic texture is of paramount importance for the suppression of segmentation in chips with refined microstructure in Ti–6Al–4V alloy. Segmentation is pronounced at all cutting speeds thereby hindering grain refinement in chips. This study illustrates that the crystallographic texture, not ductility, controls the segmentation in chips. The initial workpiece texture is modified by cold-rolling to 30% and 40% thickness reduction prior to cutting. The microstructure of chips revealed a gradual transformation of morphology from segmented to continuous. The suppression of chip segmentation stems from the texture of the workpiece. Texture studies of workpieces have revealed that the sheets exhibited a strong transverse texture which gradually becomes weak during cold-rolling. The weak transverse texture rather than ductility, obtained from the tensile experiments, is responsible for the continuous shear in chips.