Influence of Ultrasonic Vibration-Assisted Ball-End Milling on the Cutting Performance of AZ31B Magnesium Alloy

Magnesium alloys have a tremendous possibility for biomedical applications due to their good biocompatibility, integrity and degradability, but their low ignition temperature and easy corrosive property restrict the machining process for potential biomedical applications. In this research, ultrasonic vibration-assisted ball milling (UVABM) for AZ31B is investigated to improve the cutting performance and get specific surface morphology in dry conditions. Cutting force and cutting temperatures are measured during UVABM. Surface roughness is measured with a white light interferometer after UVABM. The experimental results show cutting force and cutting temperature reduce due to ultrasonic vibration, and surface roughness decreases by 34.92%, compared with that got from traditional milling, which indicates UVABM is suitable to process AZ31B for potential biomedical applications.