Matria, Vol 8, N 1 (2003) 1-10

http://www.materia.coppe.ufrj.br/sarra/artigos/artigo10119/10119.pdf

Effects of Machining Parameters on Surface Quality of the

Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE)
J. L. C. Salles 1 M. T. T. Gonalves2
1 Professor do Centro Federal de Educao Tecnolgica do Paran CEFET-PR
Doutorando em Engenharia Mecnica pela FEG/UNESP.
2 - Professor Assistente Doutor, Faculdade de Engenharia de Bauru FEB/UNESP - Bauru, SP, Brasil
e-mail: jefferson.salles@uol.com.br

ABSTRACT
This essay presents the study on the surface finish in the machining of the Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene
(UHMWPE) aiming to analyze the cutting acting relating to surface roughness. It has been noticed the influence of the
cutting speed and the feed rate in the turning surface roughness. The surface finish was tested by evaluating the average
surface roughness (Ra) and the surface image analysis. Through the analyzes of the final results it was possible to
evaluate the acting in the used tool as well as identify the influence of the parameters studied in the surface finish of the
material UHMWPE.
Keywords: surface finish; viscoelasticity, rheological properties, UHMWPE.

RESUMO
Este trabalho apresenta o estudo do acabamento superficial na usinagem do Polietileno de Ultra Alto Peso Molecular
(UHMWPE), tendo por objetivo principal analisar o desempenho de corte em relao a rugosidade superficial.
Verificou-se a influncia da velocidade de corte e do avano na rugosidade de superfcies torneadas. O acabamento
superficial foi avaliado por intermdio da avaliao da Rugosidade Mdia Aritmtica (Ra) e anlise da imagem de
superfcie. Por intermdio da anlise dos resultados obtidos, foi possvel avaliar o desempenho da ferramenta utilizada,
como tambm, identificar a influncia dos parmetros estudados no acabamento superficial deste material.
Palavras-chaves: acabamento superficial, viscoelasticidade, propriedades reolgicas, UHMWPE.

1. INTRODUCTION
Nowadays plastic has been widely employed in the industrial sector. The use of plastic with superior characteristics has
increased in several sections such as equipment of precision, electronics and optics. Due to the need of high
dimensional accuracy and good surface finish, components of plastic for these ends should be produced by means of
machining processes instead of moulding processes. [1].
In the production of components in plastic, it is generally applied the processes of injection, extrusion, or compression
moulding hence the obtaining of the final mould in just one operation. The processes that are traditionally used in the
production of components in plastics do not offer the precision required by the new applications [2]. When the objective
is to produce components in plastic with high dimensional accuracy, it is applied the machining process as final
operation. In some cases, it is economically viable to produce the components in plastic using only machining processes
[3].
In many cases, the plastic-machining now in use are simply the result of know-how gained from previous experience. In
addition, most machining methods depend on the use of existing machines and tools developed for the fabricator of
wood and metals, and little has been done to develop cutting equipment or methods especially suited to plastics. Thus, it

Matria, 8,1 (2003), J. L. C. Salles , M. T. T. Gonalves

has been rather difficult to machine all plastics successfully, owing to the many kinds and grades of plastics available
and the lack of a basic understanding of their inherent machinability.
Factors that influence roughness and product shape fall into three categories. In the first group, large-scale dimensions
of product shape are controlled by machine and environmental factors such as slide straightness, temperature stability,
and vibration isolation. These parameters, in addiction to tool quality, have the ultimate responsibility in determining
the surface roughness and dimensional accuracy of materials such as copper. In the second category, the response of the
machined material to tooling and process parameters such as cutting speed, depth of cut in feed rate, and geometry of
the tool can affect surface quality in both material and machine-dependent applications. For metals, the influence of
these parameters on surface finish has been investigated by a large number of researches [4].
The physical and chemical properties of all material exert an influence over surface finish and short-range dimensional
accuracy of a product. Often, this third category is substantially less important than the other two. An exception to this
is in the behavior of a number of polymeric materials. In our investigation of polymer machining, we have found, for
certain classes of polymers, that the material properties of the workpiece are the limiting factors in determining product
dimension and the quality of surface finish [2].
The plastics reaction during machining depends mainly on the mechanical, thermal and rheological properties.
Consequently, any evaluation of the machining characteristics should take into account the peculiar properties of the
material to be used. Each category of plastic, as well as many specific subcategories, demands different tool geometries
for a great acting and productivity [6].
The Polyethylene of Ultra High Molecular Weight (UHMWPE) is obtained by a process in suspension with ZieglerNatta catalysts, that allows the obtaining of plastics with molecular weight in the range of two to eight million g/mol,
approximately ten times larger than the molecular weights of resins considered to be of high molecular weight. Such
fact provides such high a viscosity in the melted state that its flow rate to 190 C/21.6 Kg approaches to zero. Thus, it is
not possible to process it through conventional methods of injection, blow or extrusion. The method employed is
compression moulded and the Ram Extrusion. In these two cases it is obtained products in form of foils or pins that will
necessarily be machined to reach its final dimensions [5].
For a Polyethylene to be considered as of ultra high molecular weight it is nowadays accepted the minimum value of
3,100,000 g/mol for the average molecular weight. Although processing this material above the aforementioned figure
develops a better combination between impact strength and abrasion resistance, it increases the difficulty in processing
it. The UHMWPE presents melting point at 130 C. The maximum temperature of advisable service is 93 C due to its
high coefficient of thermal expansion [7].
The Polyethylene UHMWPE possesses properties and acting completely different from the ones found in the other
types of Polyethylene. Its outstanding abrasive resistance and low friction grant it great potentiality in the substitution of
other materials.
This essays main objective is to evaluate the influence of the cutting speed and the feed rate in the surface roughness of
UHMWPE for the turning operation with tools of hard metal destined to the machining of aluminum. In the
development of this work, it has been discussed the characteristics peculiar to the machining in plastic materials.
1.1 Machining of Plastics
When examining the machined surface of a plastic in full detail, it is noted that, while in some cases the roughness is
high and with cracks, in others the surface comes covered with undesired feed marks.. It may occur that the excessive
heat, generated by the machining, causes burning (thermosetting) or gumming (thermoplastic) in the machined surface,
demanding a process of finish. It can also occur that the cutting edge of the tool presents wear or groove hence limiting
its employment. These problems occur for not considering in the machining the rheological and thermal characteristics
of the plastics such as: specific heat, thermal conductivity and coefficient of thermal expansion [4]. Before this work is
described, basic information are supplied on the machining characteristic of the plastics.
THERMAL CHARACTERISTICS
During the process of machining, heat is generated by the deformation and friction between the chip and the tool and
between the tool and the workpiece. In the machining of metals, most of the heat is removed from the cutting area by
the chip. In the machining of plastics, however, due to low thermal conductivity, most of the heat has to be removed by
the tool. This results in a temperature increase that can influence in the process of machining in two ways: increasing
the tool wear and changing the quality of the machined surface.

Matria, 8,1 (2003), J. L. C. Salles , M. T. T. Gonalves

The specific heats per unit of weight of plastics are usually more than 0.2 cal/g C, and larger than those of metals.
However, because the densities of plastic are generally much lower than those of metals, the values of specific heat are
smaller than those of metals. Therefore, the temperature rise in a plastic will be larger when a given quantity of heat is
applied to equal volumes of a plastic and a metal. The thermal conductivities of plastics are less than 2.2 x 10-3 cal/cm.s
C, which are very small compared with that of steel. Thus, essentially all the heat generated by friction between a
plastic and a metal cutting tool will be conduced to the metal tool. Such a calculation indicates that the rate of heat
transferred to the steel by thermal conduction is 99.2 to 99.8 per cent of the total generated; the remainder, or 0.2 to 0.8
per cent, will be conducted to the plastic. Also, since the small amount of heat transferred into the plastic cannot reach
its interior mass, only the surface layer will exhibit a significant rise in temperature [4].
The cutting process also varies with the work temperature. The type of chip formed by machining varies with the
temperature rise that occurs during machining, inasmuch as stress-strain relationship varies with temperature. Fractures
become ductile as the temperature rises and brittle as it falls. The melting temperature and degradation of the plastics
are relatively low. Consequently, the oxidation in the thermosetting, and the melting in the thermoplastic may occur
due to the heat generated by machining. Since the cutting fluids, which are used to cool the cutting area during the
machining of plastics, can degrade the latter, their use should be avoided where possible. If cooling is necessary, air and
water are adequate alternatives.
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
According to Kobayashi [4], the deformation and fractures in metals occur along crystalline plans; in plastics, the
fracture can happen among amorphous and crystalline areas. The low hardness of the plastics will result in an elastic or
plastic deformation due to the fixation and to the cutting forces. The fixation forces can also cause deformation due to
the plastic flow. This has to be taken into account to avoid imprecision of the machined parts. The deformation caused
by the pressure of the tool can result in a larger contact area between the tool and the workpiece. This results in an
increase of the friction. Therefore, the choice of the angles of the tool is more critical than in the machining of the
metals. The fracture phenomenon in the plastics varies with the type of plastic and with the cutting conditions,
especially the cutting speed and work temperature. Those peculiar phenomena of the machining of the plastics also
exist, that is, the phenomena due to the rheological of the plastics. One of these phenomena is the dependence on time.
When the deformation or deformation rate is low, it may occur ductile fracture. The viscoelasticity nature of the
polymeric ones is clearly recognized, and viscoelasticity models are used to explain some phenomena that occur during
the cutting process.
Carr and Feger [2] describe the theory of viscoelasticity of the polymer by the way that the material responds to a
disturbance. The description can be given through the variation of the time or of the temperature. At a given
temperature, every polymer has a fixed response time that is related to the sum of its vibrational, rotational and
translational movements. These characteristics of time are defined as relaxation time. If the disturbance occurs at a
higher rate, the response will be elastic and the polymeric ones will react like a solid. If the disturbance is applied much
slower than the relaxation time, the response will be plastic deformation. The material will then flow to accommodate
the applied force in a liquidlike way. In intermediate time frames, the polymer exhibits both types of to varying degrees.
This response is called viscoelastic reaction. From this simple description, it follows that decreasing the speed in which
the disturbance is applied gives to the polymer more time to recover; in this case, the polymer appears to be softer and
more ductile when machined at lower tool velocities.
MECHANISM OF CHIP FORMATION
The types of produced chip can give important information on the machining. In the case peculiar of the plastics, it can
happen two types of chips, the continuous and discontinuous. The continuous chips can be produced by a great elastic
deformation or by a shearing action along a shear plan, occurring when small cutting speeds are used and in materials
with a great strain. The shear plan will be in the direction in which the minimum work is demanded to form a chip, and
the chips are continuous because the shear intervals are small. To obtain a good superficial quality, it is usually better to
select the cutting parameters and the tool geometry, in such a way that the formation of continuous chips occur.
However, it should be taken into account that they can also cause problems if they wind on the tool or on the workpiece
[4].
According to Kobayashi [4], different types of discontinuous chips can be formed when great compressive stresses are
involved or when a brittle material is machined. It can also happen when a thermoplastic is machined at a large rake
angle or a great cutting depth. This results in a fissure that extends down the point of the tool, and the chip is produced
by the bending moment, which acts on the chip after the crack grow to some length. It is never observed when metals
are cut, except for some kinds of cast iron.

Matria, 8,1 (2003), J. L. C. Salles , M. T. T. Gonalves

Carr and Feger [2] have presented a model to explain the reaction of the plastic material during the machining through
rake angle of a single-edge tool. In a brittle material, when the compressive stresses induced by the cutting edge exceeds
the yield strength of the polymer, a crack will propagate in the direction of the force Vector. It is important to note that,
this model assumes that the cracks originate and propagate through the compressive field in front of the tool. Cracks
forming in the tensile field, behind the cutting edge, have noticeable different propagation characteristics and move
orthogonally to the force vector. With highly negative raked tools, the crack will extend downward into the bulk. The
tool will move past the crack, tearing out large pieces of material as it progresses. The chip produced in this situation is
block, tends to be discontinuous and the final surface consists largely of pits produced by the tearing out of material.
The chips produced by a rake angle cloze to zero are long with smooth edges and indicate a relatively clean removal of
material. A positive rake angle will drive the force vector upward the cutting plane. The Figure (1) shows the
mechanism of chip formation in the turning of plastic materials for three rake angles.

Figure 1Mechanisms of chip formation in polymeric material [2].

2. EXPERIMENTAL
The finish was evaluated taking into account the external cylindrical turning accomplished in a lathe to a numeric
computerized command by EMCO, model Turn 120. During the machining, surfaces shaped in cylindrical bars of
UHMWPE were generated in which roughness values were obtained through the used cutting conditions. The Lathe
CNC used, as well as the test body, are shown in Figure (2).

Figure 2 - Lathe used for the generation of the analyzed surfaces and detail of the samples.
2.1. Specimen Preparation
Usually, in turning processes, some parameters can be independently varied from each other, within the limits of the
machines, as follow: the feed rate (f), the cutting speed (Vc) and the cutting depth (p). These parameters are of great

Matria, 8,1 (2003), J. L. C. Salles , M. T. T. Gonalves

industrial importance because they are directly related to time of production, and consequently with the cost of the
product. The feed rate was considered in this study for possessing direct influence in the superficial finish. The cutting
speed exercises great influence in the generation of heat and it could interfere in the properties of UHMWPE during the
machining. The tool wear is also influenced by the cutting speed and it could endanger the superficial finish. This way,
it was considered in this study, the influence of the cutting speed in the generation of roughness. The cutting depth was
maintained constant because its influence in surface roughness can be considered foreseeable. The cutting parameters
considered in machining are presented in Tab. (1).
By and large, the catalogs of hard metal inserts for turning do not define specific geometries for the machining of plastic
materials. Therefore, it is used the geometries for non-ferrous metals. The cutting tool used was an uncoated hard metal
cutting insert; code DCGX070204 AL. The Figure (3) presents the geometry of the used tool according to the maker's
catalog.

Figure 3 - Geometry of the cutting tools.

The samples were machined using only one CNC program, and, before each test, the values of feed rate speed and
cutting speeds were altered, according to the sample codes. An operation of wear took place in the sample, thus
allowing elimination of imperfections due to the process of extruding the material. The use of a turning operation using
the same tool and the same program of the test provided an additional assurance concerning provenance of the tool.

Table 1 - Cutting parameters and nomenclature for the generation of turned surfaces.

Cutting Parametres

Effective Values

feed rate [ mm/rev] 0.025 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30
Cutting speed
[m/min]

400 340 280 220 160

2.2. Surface Roughness Measurements

Surface roughness profiles were measured by stylus profiles Surtronic 3 (TAYLOR HOBSON). It was equipped with a
diamond point, in a cone-spherical form, with ray of point of 2 mm, together with the program of analysis of surfaces
Talyprofile 10.
The measurements of the roughness in the turned surfaces were initially accomplished with angles of 90; therefore, it
was performed four measurements on the samples. The bars of UHMWPE, presented a good homogeneity, so that,
among the four values of roughness measured on samples, there was not significant variation, hence facilitating the
adoption of three measurements on samples. As a result, the angles among the measured areas became 120.
The Cut-off were adopted according to the values suggested by ABNT 6405/88, in agreement with the expected Ra.
The adopted sampling length was 0.8 mm and the used filter was the corrected 2CR-fase.

Matria, 8,1 (2003), J. L. C. Salles , M. T. T. Gonalves

2.3. Surface Analysis

For the analysis of turned surfaces it was used a microcope Carl Zeiss Jena Neophot 21, with a CCD Sony XC107A
camera. The acquisition and processing of image was carried out through a microcomputer equipped with A/D
electronic circuit conversion for MV-Lite video by using the software Media Cybernetics Image Pro Express 4.0.
2.4. Analysis of chip formation
For each turning test condition, i. e, for each combination between tool type, cutting speed and feed rate there were
different generations of chips. It was analyzed the type and form of the chips through images obtained by an
stereoscopy microscope Leica GZ-6, and a CCD Sony XC107A camera. The acquisition and processing of image was
carried out through a microcomputer equipped with A/D electronic circuit conversion for MV-Lite video by using the
software Media Cybernetics Image Pro Express 4.0
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
3.1. Surface roughness
The comparative results of the roughness Ra in consequence of the variation of the feed rate, by using the tool
DCGX070204 AL, are presented by Figure (4) and (5). The results are presented in graphs where each point represents
the average of three measurements made in the surface of the samples.

Figure 4Comparative Result of roughness for turning of UHMWPE

when it was varied the cutting speed and the feed rate.

Matria, 8,1 (2003), J. L. C. Salles , M. T. T. Gonalves

Figure 5Values of Ra when the cutting speed was varied for the feed rate to 0,05 mm/rev.
Through the analysis of the graphs we can see the tendency of increasing the roughness with the increase of the feed
rate. However, we can see a change in the behavior of the roughness for the feed rate of 0.05 and 0.30 mm/rev. The
roughness values presented a sudden increase for some ranges of cutting speed and sudden fall for the other feed rate
ranges in these points. The reaction of the roughness for the feed rate of 0.05 and 0.30 mm/rev, might have been
influenced by the viscoelastic property peculiar to plastics. In the feed rate ranging between 0.10 and 0.25 mm/rev, the
roughness Ra presented the same tendency for all the curves, increasing the feed rate in a lineal way. In the feed rate
between 0.025 and 0.10 mm/rev, the curves for roughness Ra presented different reactions. Between the feed rate 0.025
and 0.05 mm/rev, there was the increase of the roughness for the 160, 220 and 400 m/min cutting speeds. As for the
intermediary cutting speed (280 and 340 m/min), the roughness decreased when the feed rate became 0.05 mm/rev.
When the feed rate moved from 0.05 to 0.10 mm/rev the roughness Ra decreases to the smallest cutting speeds applied
(160 and 220 m/min); as for intermediary speeds, the roughness increases when the feed rate becomes 0.10 mm/rev.
By analyzing the graph it is verified that the variation of the cutting speed did not have significant influence on the
behavior of the roughness Ra except when the feed rate was 0.05 and 0.30 mm/min. By varying cutting speed and
setting the feed rate at 0.05 mm/rev, the curve of roughness Ra presents a reaction that is distinguished from the other
curves; including the curve for the feed rate at 0.30 mm/rev. The behavior of the curve for the feed rate at 0.05 mm/rev,
might have been influenced by changes in the properties of UHMWPE during the machining. The increase of the
cutting speed had insignificant influence on the curve of the roughness Ra when the feed rates applied were 0.025 and
0.25 m/min. The variation in both cases was inferior to 0.3 mm.

3.2. Analysis of the surface

In the Figure (6) it can be observed that in the images of the surface generated by the turning there are wellcharacterized marks of feed rate. They are in agreement with the results presented by the graphs of Figures (4) and (5),
indicating that the marks of feed rate had great influence in the generation of the roughness of the surfaces, under all the
test conditions with this tool. In the image corresponding to the sample turned with the feed rate 0.025, it can be
observed that besides feed rate mark, the surface presents cracks.

Matria, 8,1 (2003), J. L. C. Salles , M. T. T. Gonalves

Figure 6 Images of the surface turned with the tool DCGX070204 AL, obtained by light microscopy.
The arrows indicate cracks. The circles indicate damages.
When the feed rate became 0.05 mm/rev., the roughness Ra reached the lowest value, according to the graph of Figure.
(4), and it can be observed, in this condition, that it decreases the presence of cracks in the surface of the piece. This
change in the image of the surface, coinciding with the point of smallest roughness is in agreement with the
hypothetical change in the properties of the material and consequently, with the cutting mechanism.
For the other feed rate, starting from 0.10 mm/rev., it is observed that, besides the presence of feed rate marks, there is
sporadic presence of cracks in the turned surfaces. In these images, it is noticed that the spacing among the feed rate
marks increases significantly provoking the increase, practically lineal, of the roughness among the feed rate range of
0.10 to 0.20 mm/rev.

3.3. Study of the chip

The chips formed in the machining with the tool DCGX070204 AL was the continuous type that, according to the
literature, results in the best superficial finish in the machining of plastic materials. We can see by Figure (7) the change
in the chip form for the feed rate at 0.05 and 0.10 mm/rev and cutting speeds of 280 and 340 m/min, turning from
ribbon to a spiral form. This change in the chip coincides with the point of smallest roughness in the graph of Figure
(4). For the other conditions of cutting speed and feed rate no alteration is observed in the generated chips through
visual analysis. It is similar to the type presented for the feed rate 0,15 mm/rev and cutting speed 280 m/min.

Matria, 8,1 (2003), J. L. C. Salles , M. T. T. Gonalves

Figure 7 Chips formed in the turning with the tool A.

4. CONCLUSION
It can be concluded through this work that the reaction of UHMWPE was similar to the one observed in the turning of
some materials such as aluminum and wood. We can see, however, in the corresponding feed rate of 0.05 m/rev it
occurred a sudden change in reaction that is not observed in metals. This reaction might have been originated from
changes in the material property as it has been mentioned in previous chapters.
Several authors relate machinability of polymeric materials to cutting speed. Therefore, the cutting temperature is
supposed to have great influence in the surface finish. However, the influence of the cutting speed in the surface finish
of the UHMWPE in the turning was insignificant.
In this work it can be verified that the feed rate was the main factor in the generation of roughness. In the images of
turned surfaces it is clear feed rate marks as well as cracks in extreme conditions.
This study has demonstrated that in all conditions of test the generated chip was the continuous one, that, according to
literature, indicates the highest industrial quality. Since all conditions of machining generated chips type continuous,
even the ones resulted in the highest index of roughness, this relationship between chip and surface finish was not
verified in this work

5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We manifest our gratefulness to the companies Polialden Petroqumica, Titana Tecnologia Comrcio and Industry of
Polymer, and the Company PS Tools, for the technical and material support granted for the accomplishment of this
work.

Matria, 8,1 (2003), J. L. C. Salles , M. T. T. Gonalves

6. REFERENCES
[1]. KOBAYASHI, A; HIRAKAWA, K. Ultraprecision Machining of Plastics, part 1, polymethyl methacrylate,
Polymer- Plastic. Technology. Engineering., Japan, v. 1, p. 15-25, 1984.
[2]. CARR, J. W; FEGER, C. Ultraprecision Machining of Polymers, Precision Engineering, v. 4, p. 221-235, 1993.
[3]. ERIKSEN, E. Machining of short fibre reiforced thermoplastics. 1997. 169p. Ph.D thesis - Aalborg University,
Denamark, 1997.
[4]. KOBAYASHI, Akira. Ultraprecision Machining of Plastics, New York: McGraw-Hill, 1967.
[5]. POLIADELDEN. Boletim tcnico 6. So Paulo, 1998.
[6]. ALAUDDIN, M. et al, Plastics and their machining. Jounal of Material Processing Tecnology, V.54, p.40 46,
1995.
[7]. SALLES, J. l. C; CORRA, L. O; GONALVES, M. T. T. Machining of Ultra High Molecular Polyethylene
(UHMWPE). In: BRAZILIAN CONGRESS OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, 16th, 2001, Uberlndia. Anais
COBEM 2001. p. 298-306, 2.001.

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