Surface topography after re-contouring of welded Ti-6Al-4V parts by means of 5-axis ball nose end milling

The process chain of product regeneration includes the removal of excess weld material, which is called re-contouring. Like all machining processes, re-contouring influences the surface integrity and therefore the functional performance of the regenerated parts. One important aspect of surface integrity is the surface topography, especially for blades in turbine engines due to the flow losses. This paper investigates the fundamental influence of cutting conditions, tool geometry and weld shape on the surface topography after 5-axis ball nose end milling of welded Ti-6Al-4V parts. It is shown by experiment and simulation that apart from the cutting parameters also the chipping of the cutting edge and the tool runout highly influence the surface topography. The size of the weld and the tool compliance primarily influence the tool deflection and the appearance of chatter vibrations.