Abstract
This paper deals with an accurate cutting force prediction method of end milling. Cutting condition with small feed rate is often adopted in finish machining. In such conditions, the depth of cut in the radial direction of end mill cannot be estimated accurately by conventional cutting force prediction methods. When the depth of cut is quite small, the error on workpiece surface and the displacement of cutting edge are regarded as dominant factors to determine cutting force. Then, two estimation models about tool deflection and elastic recovery named "Actual depth of cut" are introduced in order to predict the depth of cut. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of introduced models, a prototype simulation system is developed and an experimental cutting is conducted. The measured cutting force in the experiment shows a good qualitative agreement with the predicted force.
