Experimental Investigation on Sustainable Performance in End Milling

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental investigation into the sustainable performance of dry end milling of 7075 aluminum alloy. An L9(34) orthogonal experiment was conducted with four key cutting parameters: spindle speed, feed per tooth, radial depth of cut, and axial depth of cut. Surface roughness (Ra), milling force (F), and specific energy consumption (SEC) were adopted as the core sustainability indicators. Range analysis and power-exponential regression were used to quantify parameter effects and establish prediction models. Results show that axial depth of cut and feed per tooth dominate surface roughness, while feed per tooth and radial depth of cut significantly affect milling force. SEC ranges from 0.08 to 0.47 J/mm3 and is negatively correlated with material removal rate. The Ra model achieves R2 = 0.7415, and the milling force model reaches R2 = 0.9862, both with high statistical significance. Strong coupling conflicts exist among surface quality, cutting load, and energy efficiency. These quantitative laws and validated models provide reliable data and theoretical support for multi-objective optimization of sustainable machining. This work offers practical guidance for high-quality, low-load, and energy-efficient dry milling of aluminum alloy components, which can be widely applied in precision manufacturing to promote green and intelligent processing technology.