Research summary
High-strength materials, such as nickel alloys and bulk metallic glasses, are often difficult to cut or shape. Advanced machining technologies, such as ultrasonic, vibration-assisted machining and laser-assisted machining, were developed to make it easier to work with these materials. Even so, a key challenge in machining high-strength materials is shear banding—the term for what happens when a narrow zone of intense shearing strain develops during the process. Shear banding results in a serrated chip formation and deteriorated surface quality.
As Canada Research Chair in Advanced Manufacturing, Dr. Xiaoliang Jin is determining the critical factors that cause shear banding. Ultimately, he and his research team aim to identify the optimum conditions to enhance process performance—without trial and error—in the aerospace and automotive industries.