Derivation of Process Path Functions in Machining of Al Alloy 7075

The evolution of micro-texture below the machined surface is computationally modeled and experimentally verified. The orientation distribution functions of the grains below the surface were represented in spectral form. The microstructure descriptor coefficients were derived, and their change with respect to the change in the cutting feed rate was computationally calculated and monitored. Micro-texture experimental observations conducted by electron back-scatter diffraction technique verify the modeling outputs. Continuation of changing the process parameter was done by finite element method, and the evolution in texture was investigated by computational modeling. The process path function which correlates micro-texture evolution and cutting feed rate, was obtained by applying the principle of orientation conservation in the Euler space. As a result of the major finding of this work, i.e., derivation of process path functions, the evolution of texture as a function of the material feed rate is numerically determined without any need to texture modeling or finite element analyses.