Cutting performance of nano-crystalline diamond (NCD) coating in micro-milling of Ti6Al4V alloy

Hard coatings are an important factor affecting the cutting performance of tools. In particular, they directly affect tool life, cutting forces, surface quality and burr formation in the micro-milling process. In this study, the performance of nano-crystalline diamond (NCD) coated tools was evaluated by comparing it with TiN-coated, AlCrN-coated and uncoated carbide tools in micro-milling of Ti₆Al₄V alloy. A series of micro-milling tests was carried out to determine the effects of coating type and machining conditions on tool wear, cutting force, surface roughness and burr size. Flat end-mill tools with two flutes and a diameter of 0.5 mm were used in the micro-milling process. The minimum chip thickness depending on both the cutting force and the surface roughness were determined. The results showed that the minimum chip thickness is about 0.3 times that of the cutter corner radius for Ti₆Al₄V alloy and changes very little with coating type. It was observed from wear tests that the dominant wear mechanism was abrasion. Maximum wear occurred on NCD-coated and uncoated tools. In addition, maximum burr size was obtained in the cutting process with the uncoated tool.     

Wear behavior of coated tools in laser assisted micro-milling of hardened steel

This paper presents a comparison of the performance of different cutting tool coatings for Laser Assisted Micro-Milling (LAMM). A thermal model is used to predict the temperature rise in the material removal surface which helps in analyzing the severity of the thermal conditions experienced by the cutting tool in LAMM. Machining experiments are then carried out to evaluate the wear behavior of different commercially available (TiCN, TiAlN) and customized coated tools (TiSiN, Al₂O₃, Al₂O₃+ZrN). These coatings were selected since they have the capability to withstand the temperatures experienced in LAMM. The results of micro-milling experiments indicate that commercially available coatings like TiCN perform poorly due to their inferior adhesion characteristics with the base material. Delamination is found to be the principal wear mechanism of TiCN, TiSiN, and Alumina (Al₂O₃) coated tools for the conditions investigated in this study. In addition, the results indicate that the wear performance of TiAlN and Al₂O₃+ZrN coated tools is superior.     

INVESTIGATION OF NANO-STRUCTURED PVD COATINGS FOR DRY HIGH-SPEED MACHINING

The objective of this paper is to investigate the performance of different categories of hard PVD coatings in terms of friction and tool wear under dry high-speed machining (HSM) conditions. In this study five different categories of commercially available coatings (nano-composite AlTiN/Si₃N₄, nano-crystalline Al₆₇Ti₃₃N and mono-layered Ti₁₀Al₇₀Cr₂₀N) and experimental nano-multilayered coatings (Ti₂₅Al₆₅Cr₁₀N/BCN and Ti₂₅Al₆₅Cr₁₀N/WN) were studied by machining hardened steel AISI H13 (HRC 50). The coefficients of friction against steel versus temperature were measured. Tool wear and cutting forces were measured in-situ under dry high speed machining conditions. The morphology of the worn tools and the chips collected during cutting were studied using an SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) and the EDX (Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis). The cutting temperatures were estimated based on the color of the chips generated during cutting. The comparison among these categories of coatings was conducted based on tool wear, coefficient of friction, cutting forces and chip formation. From this study, it was revealed that the solid self-lubricating layers, automatically formed in the cutting zone under elevated temperatures, play a key role in leading to a significant improvement of tool performance under dry high-speed machining.     

Monitoring of Wear Characteristics of TiN and TiAlN Coatings at Long Sliding Distances

TiN and TiAlN thin hard coatings have been widely applied on machine components and cutting tools to increase their wear resistance. These coatings have different wear behaviors, and determination of their wear characteristics in high-temperature and high-speed applications has great importance in the selection of suitable coating material to application. In this article, the wear behavior of single-layer TiN and TiAlN coatings was investigated at higher sliding speed and higher sliding distances than those in the literature. The coatings were deposited on AISI D2 cold-worked tool steel substrates using a magnetron sputtering system. The wear tests were performed at a sliding speed of 45 cm/s using a ball-on-disc method, and the wear area was investigated at seven different sliding distances (36–1,416 m). An Al₂O₃ ball was used as the counterpart material. The wear evolution was monitored using a confocal optical microscope and surface profilometer after each sliding test. The coefficient of friction and coefficient of wear were recorded with increasing sliding distance. It was found that the wear rate of the TiAlN coating decreases with sliding distance and it is much lower than that of TiN coating at longer sliding distance. This is due to the Al₂O₃ film formation at high temperature in the contact zone. Both coatings give similar coefficient of friction data during sliding with a slight increase in that of the TiAlN coating at high sliding distances due to the increasing alumina formation. When considering all results, the TiAlN coating is more suitable for hard machining applications.     

Wear mechanisms of WC coated and uncoated tools in finish turning of Inconel 718

This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation on the wear mechanisms of uncoated tungsten carbide (WC) and coated tools (single-layer (TiAlN) PVD, and triple-layer (TiCN/Al₂O₃/TiN) CVD) in oblique finish turning of Inconel 718. Tool wear rate and wear mechanisms were evaluated for cutting speeds, 50<V<100 m/min, and feed rates, 0.075<f<0.125 mm/rev, at a constant depth of cut of 0.25 mm. It was concluded that abrasive and adhesive wear were the most dominant wear mechanisms, controlling the deterioration and final failure of the WC tools. While the triple layer CVD coated tools exhibited the highest wear resistance at high cutting speeds and low feeds, uncoated tools outperformed the single and multi-layer coated tools in the low range of cutting speeds and intermediate feeds. The cutting tool with single-layer PVD coating outperformed the other tools at the medium cutting speed.     

Statistical analysis of process parameters in drilling of AL/SICP metal matrix composite

Four micro-holes were made using micro-EDM on rake face of the cemented carbide (WC/TiC/Co) tools. MoS₂, CaF₂, and graphite solid lubricants were respectively embedded into the four micro-holes to form self-lubricated tools (SLT-1, SLT-2, and SLT-3). Dry machining tests on hardened steel were carried out with these self-lubricated tools and conventional tools (SLT-4). The cutting forces, average friction coefficient between tool and chip, and tool wear were measured and compared. It was shown that the cutting forces and tool wear of self-lubricated tools were clearly reduced compared with those of the SLT-4 conventional tool. The SLT-1 self-lubricated tool embedded with MoS₂ just exhibited lower friction coefficient between tool and chip in cutting speed of less than 100?m/min; the SLT-2 self-lubricated tool embedded with CaF₂ possessed lower friction coefficient in cutting speed of more than 100?m/min; and the SLT-3 self-lubricated tool embedded with graphite accomplished good lubricating behaviors steadily under the test conditions. It is indicated that cemented carbide inserts with four micro-holes on rake face embedded with appropriate solid lubricants on rake face is an effective way to reduce cutting forces and rake wear.     

In-service behaviour of (Ti,Si,Al)Nx nanocomposite films

This paper reports on the optimization of (Ti,Si_,Al)N_x coatings to improve the performance of coated tools in dry cutting applications. The performance and the wear mechanisms of (Ti,Si_,Al)N_x tungsten carbide coated tools were investigated. Tool life and tool failure modes were thoroughly examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) complemented with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) in order to study the wear mechanisms. After 15 min at high cutting speed (200 m/min), the cutting edges of almost all the coatings still remained in good conditions. The results presented on this paper confirmed that nc-(Ti_1?xAl_x)/a-SiN_x nanocomposite coatings offer a significant potential to operate in extreme environments, since this coating outperformed one of the best solutions actually available in the market for high speed turning. An improvement on the tribological behaviour of (Ti,Si_,Al)N_x films was also observed with thermal annealing before the turning tests, due to a self hardening effect as consequence of the spinodal segregation of the (Ti,Al,Si)N metastable phase. On the other hand, no significative increase on the performance of the coated tools was observed with depositing an amorphous Al₂O₃ interlayer.     

TiVN涂层的耐磨性与切削性能的关联研究

通过多弧离子镀沉积技术制备了TiN和TiVN涂层,对比了两种涂层在不同工况下的摩擦磨损性能和切削性能,并指出影响刀具涂层服役性能的主要因素。结果表明,V元素掺杂有效提高了TiN涂层的硬度和结合力、减小了TiN涂层的摩擦因数和低温下的磨损率,但V容易氧化的特性导致500 ℃及以上温度TiVN涂层产生较高的磨损率。切削测试表明,在麻花钻的主切削刃和横刃区域两种涂层发生明显的剥落,而在后刀面涂层未发生明显剥落,TiVN涂层较高的膜基结合强度和耐磨性能使得它对刀具的防护效果更佳;刀具涂层的服役性能与其耐磨性能和膜基结合强度有关,刀具的主切削刃和横刃区域对涂层的耐磨性能和膜基结合强度有着苛刻的要求,且切削刃尖端温度较高,对涂层的高温耐磨性能和膜基结合强度要求也高。     

A comparative study of multilayer and functionally graded coated tools in high-speed machining

Multilayer-coated tool systems have been effective in controlling mechanical and thermal loads, especially in high-speed cutting regime. In this study, cutting performance of tungsten carbide tools with restricted contact length and multilayer chemical vapour deposition deposited coatings, TiCN/Al₂O₃/TiN (in series) and TiCN/Al₂O₃–TiN (functionally graded), was investigated in dry turning. Cutting tests were conducted on low carbon alloy steel AISI/SAE 4140 over a wide range of cutting speeds between 200 and 879?m/min. Results including cutting forces, chip compression ratio, shear angle, contact area inclusive of sticking and sliding phenomena and tool flank wear are presented. In particular, prediction of heat partition into the cutting tool inserts was carried out using a combination of experimental tests and the finite element method. The results show that coating layouts and cutting tool edge geometry can significantly affect heat distribution into the cutting tool. The paper clearly shows the role and potential benefits of applying different top coats on the rake and flank faces with regards contact phenomenon, impact on thermal shielding and tool wear. An appropriate coating layout selection is crucial in controlling tool wear, especially in high-speed machining.     

WEAR STUDIES AND CUTTING TESTS OF Ti–Al–N–C NANOCOMPOSITE COATINGS IN MILLING OPERATIONS – TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION

New carbon-based nanostructured composite coatings of the material system Ti–Al–N–C were deposited on cemented carbide milling tools, and their feasibility for selected dry high-speed machining operations was assessed. For this purpose, wear studies with instrumented cutting machines in dry cutting tests were carried out in milling operations on Uddeholm hardened steels (AISI H13, and, AISI A2, respectively). The tools were coated in an industrial sputtering machine of the Hauzer HTC 625 type. The new nanocomposite coatings showed a good performance in the dry cutting operations and were benchmarked versus industrial state-of-the-art coatings.     

Investigation of the performance of carbide cutting tools with hard coatings in hard milling based on the response surface methodology

Machining of hard materials has become a great challenge for several decades. One of the problems in this machining process is early tool wear, and this affects the machinability of hard materials. In order to increase machinability, cutting tools are widely coated with nanostructured physical vapor deposition hard coatings. The main characteristics of such advanced hard coatings are high microhardness and toughness as well as good adhesion to the substrate. In this paper, the influence of hard coatings (nanolayer AlTiN/TiN, multilayer nanocomposite TiAlSiN/TiSiN/TiAlN, and commercially available TiN/TiAlN) and cutting parameters (cutting speed, feed rate, and depth of cut) on cutting forces and surface roughness were investigated during face milling of AISI O2 cold work tool steel (～61 HRC). The experiments were conducted based on 3¹³ factorial design by response surface methodology, and response surface equations of cutting forces and surface roughness were obtained. In addition, the cutting forces obtained with the coated and uncoated tools were compared. The results showed that the interaction of coating type and depth of cut affects surface roughness. The hard coating type has no significant effect on cutting forces, while the cutting force F _z is approximately two times higher in the case of uncoated tool.     

Wear behavior of adaptive nano-multilayered AlTiN/MexN PVD coatings during machining of aerospace alloys

Machining of aerospace materials is one of the major challenges of modern manufacturing. Application of nano-multilayered AlTiN/Me_xN PVD coatings (where Me_x is a transition metal of V-VI groups of periodic table) to cemented carbide tooling results in a significant tool life improvement under conditions of cutting hard to machine alloys such as Ni-based Inconel 718 superalloy and Ti-based TiAl6V4 alloy. Microhardness and coefficient of friction of the coatings were measured during this experiment. Investigations of the coated tool life, wear behavior, chip formation (chip type and undersurface morphology) for cutting tools with nano-multilayered PVD coating were also performed. Morphology of worn tools has been studied using SEM and EDX. This study will show that metallurgical design of the nano-multilayered coating should be tailored to its application. To achieve better tool life when machining Inconel 781, adaptive nano-multilayered AlTiN/MoN coating is recommended, whereas a AlTiN/VN coating is better suited to machining TiAl6V4 alloy. A driving force behind selecting these coatings was a noticeably lower coefficient of friction at elevated temperatures.     

Cr2N/CrN multilayer coatings for wood machining tools

The present paper describes results from a recent research project aimed at forming a wear resistant coating based on chromium on tools to wood machining. Cr₂N/CrN multilayer coatings deposited on HS6-5-2 steel substrates using cathodic arc evaporation were tested. These coatings were formed from 7 bilayers being ca. 340 nm thick and equally thick Cr₂N and CrN layers. For comparison, Cr₂N and CrN monolayer coatings were also prepared. Hardness measurements, indentation and scratch tests, friction and wear were performed to characterize the mechanical properties. The wear tracks and Rockwell indentations enable to assess wear mechanisms of the coatings. The results of the Cr₂N/CrN coatings investigated show high hardness: ca. about 22 GPa and a critical force being higher than 95 N and a low wear rate.The industrial tests of planer knives with Cr₂N/CrN multilayer coatings were carried out on a down-spindle milling machine to determine the durability of tools with wear resistant coatings for woodworking. These tools show increase of “life time” two times. Another positive feature of the use of such tools is the increase of the quality of wood surface machined when compared with uncoated tools.     

Effect of ZrN and Mo-N coatings and sulfacyanization on wear of wood-cutting knives

The effect of sulfacyanization of ZrN and Mo+Mo₂N coatings on the volume wear of hard-alloy blade cutting knives when milling chipboard laminated wood was investigated. It is revealed that this treatment reduces the volume wear of knife blades two times. Nitride coatings promote the hardness and deformation resistance of blades. Sulfacyanization forms surface film containing C, S, and N. This film is deeply deformed through the edges and pores of carbide grains reducing friction and oxidation of blades in cutting.     

Wear characteristics of hard material coatings produced by chemical vapour deposition with particular reference to machining

Coating of hard metals inhibits their wear by providing a diffusion barrier, reducing friction and the tendency for fusion to occur. It is also known that wear inhibiting layers form on the cutting faces of uncoated hard metal when machining certain steels.In order to increase the knowledge of the wear inhibiting effect of coatings, cutting force measurements have been made using K 10 type hard metal uncoated as a reference material and M 10 uncoated, together with M 10 coated with TiC and with Al₂O₃.Turning of a low strength steel and a high strength steel at constant feed and depth of cut but with varying cutting speed was used for the cutting tests. The cutting forces were measured with a three-component dynamometer.The layers formed on the cutting faces during the tests were studied with a scanning electron microscope and were analysed by an energy dispersive X-ray analyser.The relation between the different cutting materials, the layers formed on them and the cutting forces is discussed.     

Performance of ceramic tools in high-speed cutting iron-based superalloys

A series of turning tests were conducted to investigate the cutting performance of ceramic tools in high-speed turning iron-based superalloys GH2132 (A286). Three kinds of ceramic tools, KY1540, CC650, and CC670 were used and their materials are Sialon, Al₂O₃–Ti(C,N), and Al₂O₃–SiC_w, respectively. The cutting forces, cutting temperatures, tool wear morphologies, and tool failure mechanisms are discussed. The experimental results show that with the increase in cutting speed, the resultant cutting forces with KY1540 and CC670 tools show a tendency to increase first and then decrease while those for CC650 increase gradually. The cutting temperature increases monotonically with the increase in cutting speed. The optimum cutting speeds for KY1540 and CC650 when turning GH2132 are less than 100 m/min, while those for CC670 are between 100 and 200 m/min. Flank wear is the main reason that leads to tool failure of KY1540 and CC670 while notch wear is the main factor that leads to tool failure of CC650. Tool failure mechanisms of ceramic tools when machining GH2132 include adhesion, chipping, abrasion, and notching. Better surface roughness can be got using CC670 ceramic tools.     

Wear of Ceramic Cutting Tools in Ni-Based Superalloy Machining

The machining performance of monolithic and composite silicon nitride and Al₂O₃-based cutting tools in continuous turning of Inconel 718 was examined. The character of tool wear has been found to vary, depending on the feed rate and cutting speeds. At a lower cutting speed, of 120 m/min, tool life is restricted by depth-of-cut notching, while at high cutting speeds (300 m/min), tools fail due to nose wear and fracture. The sensitivity of monolithic Si₃N₄ and Al₂O₃ to depth-of-cut notching was found to he significantly reduced with the addition of SiC whiskers, and to a lesser extent with TiC particulates. The ceramic composites also exhibited resistance to nose and flank wear that was higher than that of the monoliths. The internal stress distribution for the cutting tool has been calculated using the finite element method and is the basis for explaining fracture beneath the rake face. Cutting tool wear results are discussed in terms of chemical and mechanical properties of the ceramic tool material, abrasive wear, thermal shock resistance, and metal cutting conditions.     

Cutting performance of Si<Subscript>3</Subscript>N<Subscript>4</Subscript>/TiC micro-nanocomposite ceramic tool in dry machining of hardened steel

A type of Si₃N₄/TiC micro-nanocomposite ceramic cutting tool material was fabricated using Si₃N₄ micro-matrix with Si₃N₄ and TiC nanoparticles. Cutting performance of the Si₃N₄/TiC ceramic cutting tool in dry cutting of hardened steel was investigated in comparison with a commercial Sialon insert. Hard turning experiments were carried out at three different cutting speeds, namely 97, 114, and 156 m/min. Feed rate (f) and depth of cut (a _p) were fixed at 0.1 mm/rev and 0.2 mm, respectively. Results showed that cutting temperature increased rapidly to nearly 1000 °C with increasing cutting speed. The two types of cutting tools featured similar wear behavior. However, the Si₃N₄/TiC micro-nanocomposite ceramic cutting tool exhibited better wear resistance than the Sialon tool. Morphologies of crater and flank wear were observed with a scanning electron microscope. Results indicated that wear variation of the two types of ceramic cutting tools differed in the same conditions. Wear of the Si₃N₄/TiC micro-nanocomposite ceramic cutting tool is mainly dominated by abrasion and adhesion, whereas that of the Sialon ceramic cutting tool is dominated by abrasion, adhesion, thermal shock cracking, and flaking.     

Study on cutting forces and experiment of MoS2/Zr-coated cemented carbide tool

MoS₂/Zr composite films were deposited on the cemented carbide YT14 (WC+14%TiC+6%Co) by medium-frequency magnetron sputtered coupled with multi-arc ion plating techniques. The thickness, micro-hardness, and coating/substrate adhesion strength of the coatings were tested. Surface morphologies of the composite coatings, as well as wear features, were investigated by scanning electron microscopy. Dry machining tests on hardened steel were carried out with the coated tool and uncoated YT15 tool. The variation of cutting forces for 45# hardened steel was tested by the Kistler force tester. The result shows that the cutting forces of coated tool were decreased by 25–30%, and flank wear resistance was improved by 30–35% in comparison with the uncoated YT15 tool. Through the analysis of cutting force distribution theory, the lower mean shear stress on the MoS₂/Zr-coated tool face leads to the decrease of cutting force and increase of tool wear resistance.     

Study on finish-turning of NiCr20TiAl nickel-based alloy using Al2O3/TiN-coated carbide tools

Al₂O₃/TiN-coated tungsten carbide tools were used for finish-turning of NiCr20TiAl nickel-based alloy under various cutting conditions. The cutting forces, surface integrity, and tool wear were investigated, and their formation mechanisms were discussed. The inter-diffusing and transferring of elements between Al₂O₃/TiN-coated tungsten carbide tool and NiCr20TiAl nickel-based alloy were studied during machining. The plastic flow of NiCr20TiAl alloy was present on the machined surface by the lower cutting forces. The flaking of coating and matrix of tools and the heavier plucking and cavities of the machined surface were induced by the higher cutting forces at higher cutting parameters. The tensile residual stress was engendered on the machined surface and increased with the cutting parameters. In view of surface quality and tool wear, the cutting speed of 60?min and feed of 0.15?mm/r are recommended, and depth of cut should not exceed 0.4?mm when Al₂O₃/TiN-coated carbide tools are used for the finish-turning of the NiCr20TiAl alloy.