Optimization techniques applied to machinability studies for turning aluminium metal matrix composites: A literature review

Aluminium matrix composites (AMCs) have over time become a household name in the automobile and aerospace industries due to an excellent mix of properties not limited to hardness, tensile and compressive strengths, toughness, corrosion and wear resistance. This has led to further studies concerned with the ease of machining these materials. Regardless of the advent of alternative material removing processes, traditional subtractive machining is still relevant due to its accuracy, efficiency and high production rates. To this effect, machinability studies have been conducted to understand the effect of composite reinforcements on the cutting process. The need for optimization of selected input cutting and workpiece parameters during the turning of AMCs have been deemed important to produce parts with the designed dimensions and tolerances and surface finish specifications at low production cost. This work attempts to review recent relevant works into the study of the machinability of selected aluminium matrix composites with emphasis on the optimization techniques applied to the study.