Development of CNN-LSTM Based Surface Roughness Prediction Model in Feature Machining Process of Ti-6Al-4V for Aerospace Components

Abstract

Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy is widely utilized in aerospace components, such as torque tubes and turbine blades, due to its outstanding strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance. However, controlling surface roughness during machining is challenging because the alloy's low thermal conductivity and high chemical reactivity result in unpredictable variations in Ra. Traditional contact-based measurement methods are not only time-consuming but also incompatible with in-process monitoring, creating a disconnect between production and quality control. This study introduces a CNN-LSTM hybrid model for predicting surface roughness in Ti-6Al-4V shape machining, utilizing multi-sensor CNC data. The model effectively captures spatial correlations among nine sensors and temporal dependencies in sequential operations. We implement a stratified time-series split validation that maintains chronological order while ensuring a representative distribution of Ra values, reflecting realistic deployment conditions. Data were collected from machining tests on features of a torque tube part, comprising 4,154 samples with Ra values ranging from 0.57 to 0.74 μm. The CNN-LSTM model achieved R² = 0.8512, RMSE = 0.0199 μm, and MAE = 0.0096 μm, outperforming Random Forest, XGBoost, and standalone neural networks. These results demonstrate the feasibility of non-contact, in-process surface roughness prediction in aerospace manufacturing, facilitating proactive quality control without interrupting operations.