Prediction of Post-Machining Distortion Due to Residual Stresses Using FEM and a Massive Removal Approach
Résumé
In aeronautics weight reduction of aircrafts has become one of the main objectives. This has led to the fact that a majority of the aeronautical parts made from aluminium are large monolithic parts (to avoid the use of assembling systems like rivets and screws). The manufacturing of these aeronautic parts, especially the structural parts, is usually performed by machining. On large aluminium aeronautical parts, the main factor which can lead to non-compliance of a part is the re-equilibrium of the initial residual stresses inside the workpiece during the machining process. In this paper, an example of multi-sided machining of a part made of AIRWARE® 2050 alloy is realised. Simulations of the machining of this part have been performed using a specific finite element tool which has been specially developed to predict the distortion due to the redistribution of these initial residual stresses during machining. Results numerically obtained are then compared with experimental results, showing a good agreement.