Effect of cutting parameters on tool life during end milling of AISI 4340 under MQL condition

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the cutting performance of high-speed regime end milling of AISI 4340 by investigating the tool life and wear mechanism of steel using the minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) technique to deliver the cutting fluid. Design/methodology/approach The experiments were designed using Taguchi L9 orthogonal array with the parameters chosen: cutting speed (between 300 and 400 m/min), feed rate (between 0.15 and 0.3 mm/tooth), axial depth of cut (between 0.5 and 0.7 mm) and radial depth of cut (between 0.3 and 0.7 mm). Toolmaker microscope, optical microscope and Hitachi SU3500 Variable Pressure Scanning Electron Microscope used to measure tool wear progression and wear mechanism. Findings Cutting speed 65.36%, radial depth of cut 24.06% and feed rate 6.28% are the cutting parameters that contribute the most to the rate of tool life. The study of the tool wear mechanism revealed that the oxide layer was observed during lower and high cutting speeds. The former provides a cushion of the protective layer while later reduce the surface hardness of the coated tool Originality/value A high-speed regime is usually carried out in dry conditions which can shorten the tool life and accelerate the tool wear. Thus, this research is important as it investigates how the use of MQL and cutting parameters can prolong the usage of tool life and at the same time to achieve a sustainable manufacturing process.

Wear Mechanism of Multilayer Coated Carbide Cutting Tool in the Milling Process of AISI 4340 under Cryogenic Environment

Cryogenic technique is the use of a cryogenic medium as a coolant in machining operations. Commonly used cryogens are liquid nitrogen (LN2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) because of their low cost and non-harmful environmental impact. In this study, the effects of machining conditions and parameters on the wear mechanism were analysed in the milling process of AISI 4340 steel (32 HRC) under cryogenic conditions using a multilayer coated carbide cutting tool (TiAlN/AlCrN). A field emission scanning electron microscope with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis was used to examine the wear mechanisms comprehensively. At low machining parameters, abrasion and adhesion were the major wear mechanisms which occurred on the rake face. Machining at high machining parameters caused the removal of the coating material on the rake face due to the high temperature and cutting force generated during the cutting process. In addition, it was found that continuously adhered material on the rake face would lead to crater wear. Furthermore, the phenomenon of oxidation was also observed when machining at high cutting speed, which resulted in diffusion wear and increase in the crater wear. Based on the relationship between the cutting force and cutting temperature, it can be concluded that these machining outputs are significant in affecting the progression of tool wear rate, and tool wear mechanism in the machining of AISI 4340 alloy steel.

Experimental and numerical analysis of the wear mechanism in spring coil forming die and the effects of die geometry on wear

The present work aimed at understanding the wear mechanism of spring coil forming die and the effects of die geometry on wear. The wear morphology was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectrometer. The main wear mechanism was found to be adhesive wear, and a variant of the Archard wear model was established. The wear distribution in spring coil forming die was numerically analyzed in DEFORM software, and the effects of die geometry parameters on wear were discussed. Numerical results revealed that the wear distribution in the die was uneven and the wear mainly occurred at the sides of the die cavity. The wear depth was greatly affected by the width and angle of the die cavity, whereas the length of the die cavity had little effect. A small cavity width or angle led to severe wear, while a large cavity width reduced the forming quality of the spring coil. Moreover, a simple and effective life prediction method was proposed based on wear results. The findings of this research will be helpful for the effective design of spring coil forming die and the prediction of wear.

PHYSICO-TRIBOLOGICAL ANND WEAR MECHANISM CHARACTERISTICS OF HYBRID REINFFORCED Al6063 MATRIX COMPOSITES

The development of engineering materials is continuously attracting attention from scientists and engineers for numerous engineering applications. The physical properties and wear mechanism of aluminium (Al 6063) matrix reinforced with silicon carbide (SiC) and palm kernel shell ash (PKSA) particulates at different weight ratios ranging from 0 to 10 wt.% with 2 wt.% intervals were investigated. The liquid route of double stir casting was employed in synthesizing the composites. The wear experiment was conducted using the Taber-type wear abrasion machine. The worn surfaces were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), while the intermetallic phases were examined using the x-ray diffractometer (XRD). From the result, the increase in PKSA and SiC lowered and improved the density of the composites, respectively. The percentage porosity values (2 - 2.4%) obtained in this study were found to be within the acceptable limit of less than 4% for metal matrix composites castings. The mass loss and wear index increased owing to the rotating speed and applied load increase, resulting from the occurrence of mechanical mixing between the contacting surface of the sample disk and the machined disc. Adhesive and abrasive wear mechanisms were the major mechanisms observed in this study.

Effect of High−Speed Powder Feeding on Microstructure and Tribological Properties of Fe−Based Coatings by Laser Cladding

In order to improve the wear resistance of 27SiMn steel substrate, Fe−based alloy coatings were prepared by laser cladding technology in the present study. In comparison to the conventional gravity powder feeding (GF) process, high−speed powder feeding (HF) process was used to prepare Fe−based alloy coating on 27SiMn steel substrate. The effect of diversified energy composition of powder materials on the microstructure and properties of coatings were systematically studied. X−ray diffractometer (XRD), optical microscope (OM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to analyze the phase structure and microstructure of Fe−based alloy coatings, and the hardness and tribological properties were measured by the microhardness tester and ball on disc wear tester, respectively. The results show that the microstructure of conventional gravity feeding (GF) coatings was composed of coarse columnar crystals. In comparison, owing to the diversification of energy composition, the microstructure of the high−speed powder feeding (HF) coatings consists of uniform and small grains. The total energy of the HF process was 75.5% of that of the GF process, proving that high−efficiency cladding can be achieved at lower laser energy. The refinement of the microstructure is beneficial to improve the hardness and wear resistance of the coating, and the hardness of the HF coating increased by 9.4% and the wear loss decreased to 80.5%, compared with the GF coating. The wear surface of the HF coating suffered less damage, and the wear mechanism was slightly adhesive wear. In contrast, wear was more serious in the GF coating, and the wear mechanism was transformed into severe adhesive wear.