PROJECT 01 / Jan 2026 to Present

Controlling the cut

Chip formation and deformation mechanics

LAMP · Michigan State University

THE QUESTION

What changes when we constrain how a chip forms?

Experimental setup and process parameters for constrained cutting
Figure reproduced in my LAMP poster from Guo, Chen & Saleh (2020), In Situ Analysis of Deformation Mechanics of Constrained Cutting Toward Enhanced Material Removal.

My contribution

At the Laboratory of Advanced Manufacturing Processes, I study large strain plastic deformation through machining, tribology, stress strain analysis, and microscopy.

For my constrained cutting poster, I reviewed published research, interpreted figures, observed lab work, and discussed the mechanics with my mentor. I compared free and constrained cutting through chip thickness ratios, DIC strain fields, force plots, and surface finish results.

The paper I reviewed reported controlled simple shear flow near a chip thickness ratio of 1.6. Stronger constraint produced complex extrusion. These results come from the cited study rather than measurements I generated. My next step is to strengthen my DIC, MATLAB, and Python analysis skills, then compare experiments with finite element models.

OUTCOME / CONTRIBUTION

Connected chip formation with force, strain, and surface quality.

The process

  1. 01

    Review published cutting experiments

  2. 02

    Compare deformation and force trends

  3. 03

    Connect processing to surface quality

Source: LAMP Research Poster; résumé. Figure: Guo, Chen & Saleh (2020), Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering, 142(2), 021002.

KEEP EXPLORINGA better bearing material