Numerical modelling of size effects in micro-cutting of f.c.c. single crystal: Influence of strain gradients

A size effect is exhibited by metals in cutting processes at small scales: a nonlinear escalation in the cutting energy per unit volume with a decrease in the thickness of the uncut chip. To understand this phenomenon, a numerical model of orthogonal micro-cutting of f.c.c. single-crystal copper was developed, and three different depths of cut (0.8 μm, 1.4 μm and 2.0 μm) were considered. Enhanced models of crystal plasticity (EMCP) and strain-gradient crystal plasticity (EMSGCP) implemented in ABAQUS/Explicit through a VUMAT Fortran subroutine were used. Obtained results were compared with the experiments reported in the literature. The influence of size effect on deformation response of a single-crystal material was investigated extensively in terms of the distribution of field variables such as strain gradients, stresses, lattice rotations and activity of different slip systems. The influence of crystallographic orientation was also studied. It was observed that the size-effect phenomenon was predicted more accurately with the EMSGCP theory, where polar dislocations evolving during deformation were found to affect it significantly.