We have developed a new model for chip formation in orthogonal machining, which includes a mechanism for thermomechanical feedback. This leads to an interpretation of metal cutting as a process which is similar in many ways to an open chemical reactor. As the cutting speed is increased, there is a bifurcation from steady-state to oscillatory behavior in the stress and temperature fields in the workpiece material at the tooltip, which explains the observed change from continuous to segmented chip formation.

Joint work with Matt Davies and Chris Evans.

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