Identification of and Effects on the Depth of the Machining Affected Zone in Nickel- Based Superalloys

The formation of subsurface damage during machining of nickel-based superalloys is a critical quality concern for the manufacture of gas turbine components. The identification and understanding of this zone are critical to the reduction of destructive testing and scrap costs in an ever changing manufacturing environment. This thesis seeks to provide a novel objective method for identification of the depth of this zone and an empirical model for the effects of machining parameters on this zone. This allows for optimal machining parameters to be used in manufacturing reducing the need for destructive testing, while also reducing manufacturing costs by reducing scrap rates and processing time.