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.     

Study of surface quality in high speed turning of Inconel 718 with uncoated and coated CBN tools

Inconel 718 is known to be among the most difficult-to-machine materials due to its special properties which cause the short tool life and severe surface damages. The properties, which are responsible for poor machinability, include rapid work hardening during machining; tendency to weld with the tool material at high temperature generated during machining; the tendency to form a built-up edge during machining; and the presence of hard carbides, such as titanium carbide and niobium carbide, in their microstructure. Conventional method of machining Inconel 718 with cemented carbide tool restricts the cutting speed to a maximum 30?m/min due to the lower hot hardness of carbide tool, high temperature strength and low thermal conductivity of Inconel 718. The introduction of new coated carbide tools has increased cutting speed to 100?m/min; nevertheless, the time required to machine this alloy is still considerably high. High speed machining using advanced tool material, such as CBN, is one possible alternative for improving the productivity of this material due to its higher hot hardness in comparison with carbide tool. This paper specifically deals with surface quality generated under high speed finishing turning conditions on age-hardened Inconel 718 with focus on surface roughness, metallographic analysis of surface layer and surface damages produced by machining. Both coated and uncoated CBN tools were used in the tests, and a comparison between surfaces generated by both tools was also discussed.     

Machinability investigation of Inconel 718 in high-speed turning

This article presents an approach based on wavelet correlation modelling for health state monitoring of fluid dynamic bearings in brushless DC motors. This approach involves two stages: (1) extracting of features from the motor-stator current signatures by analysing discrete wavelet transform coefficients; and (2) building of the simplest correlation model between the extracted features and the bearing wear using a multivariable regression technique. The correlation model can be used to detect and predict the bearing wear of brushless DC motors. Experiments were carried out using brushless DC motors with fluid dynamic bearings to verify the proficiency of this approach. Good agreement between the prediction result and the real motor health condition demonstrated the viability of the approach for bearing prognostic applications. The correlation equations obtained have acceptable detectability and accuracy based on a desired 95% level of confidence.     

An investigation on wear mechanism of high-speed turning of free-cutting steel AISI 1215 using uncoated and multi-layer coated tools

AISI 1215 is a new kind of green and non-toxic free-cutting steel with minimum environmental pollution and excellent machinability, which receives wide promotion, investigation, and application in manufacturing industries. In machining of AISI 1215 steel, tool wear has a close relation with the presence of manganese sulfide lubricant zone formed on the tool surface. In this work, with the aid of cutting temperature and tool Von Mises stress simulations, tool wear analysis on the uncoated and multi-layer (Al₂O₃/TiCN) coated carbide tools was performed in high-speed turning operation. Wear pattern and wear mechanisms were studied through the experimental results. The main findings showed that the uncoated tool suffered high cutting temperature and severe tool wear and was not conducive to form a manganese sulfide lubricant zone in the turning operation. In contrast, the multi-layer coated tool could form a manganese sulfide lubricant zone on the chip–tool contact area. The beneficial roles of the manganese sulfide lubricant zone formed on the coated tool surface can be summarized as lubrication and diffusion blocking. The main wear mechanisms of the uncoated tool were crater wear, oxidation wear, adhesive wear, and abrasive wear, whereas for the multi-layer coated tool, they were crater wear, adhesive wear, and abrasive wear.     

Performance of coated and uncoated mixed ceramic tools in hard turning process

The present contribution deals with the study of the effects of cutting speed, feed rate and depth of cut on the performance of machining which traditionally named “machinability”. The focus is made on the effect of the pre-cited cutting parameters on the evolution of surface roughness and cutting force components during hard turning of AISI D3 cold work tool steel with CC6050 and CC650 ceramic inserts. Also, for both ceramics a comparison of their wear evolution with time and its impact on the surface equality was proposed. The planning of experiments was based on Taguchi’s L₁₆ orthogonal array. The analysis of variance (ANOVA), the signal-to-noise ratio and response surface methodology (RSM) were adopted. Consequently, the validity of proposed linear regression model was checked and the most important parameter affecting the surface roughness and cutting force components were determined. Furthermore, in order to determine the levels of the cutting regime that lead to minimum surface roughness and minimum machining force the relationship between cutting factors was analyzed. The results revealed that the surface quality obtained with the coated CC6050 ceramic insert is 1.6 times better than the one obtained with uncoated CC650 ceramic insert. However, the uncoated ceramic insert was useful in reducing the machining force.     

Cutting forces and wear in dry machining of Inconel 718 with coated carbide tools

In the machining of heat resistant super alloys used in aeronautical applications and classified as difficult-to-machine materials, the consumption of cooling lubricant during the machining operations is very important. The associated costs of coolant acquisition, use, disposal and washing the machined components are significant, up to four times the cost of consumable tooling used in the cutting operations. To reduce the costs of production and to make the processes environmentally safe, the goal of the aeronautical manufacturers is to move toward dry cutting by eliminating or minimising cutting fluids. This goal can be achieved by using coated carbide tools at high cutting speeds. To achieve this goal, different coated tools and different cutting conditions were tested in dry conditions. The elementary orthogonal cutting process was chosen, the cutting and feed cutting forces components were measured and the cutting force ratio calculated. This ratio is shown to be as an interesting indicator of tool wear. The tool wear mechanisms tool were analysed by using white light interferometer and scanning electron microscopy coupled to an energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy EDS-system. The EDS was very useful to analyse the elements deposited on the cutting tool faces. The ability of the different coatings to increase the carbide tool performance were analysed, the main wear modes were depicted. An optimisation of the cutting conditions was finally proposed and the efficiency of the coatings was shown. The results coming from uncoated tools were compared with those obtained with coated tools under the same conditions of machining. At the end, a choice of coatings is proposed and an extension of this study to an industrial machining operation is presented for future developments.     

Carbide tool wear mechanism in turning of Inconel 718 superalloy

Wear surfaces of the cutting tools are analyzed to study the wear mechanism of cemented carbide tools in turning in Inconel 718 superalloys. SEM and EPMA analyses indicated that the wear of carbide tools during high speed turning condition (V = 35 m min⁻¹) was caused by diffusion of elements (Ni or Fe) in workpiece into tool's binder (Co) by a grain boundary diffusion mechanism. This action weakened the bonding strength between carbide particles (WC, TiC, TaC) and the binder (Co). The carbide particles were then detached out of the cemented carbide tool by high flow stresses. The proposed grain boundary diffusion mechanism is also confirmed by theoretical analysis.     

Effect of cutting speed on cutting forces and wear mechanisms in high-speed face milling of Inconel 718 with Sialon ceramic tools

In this paper, a series of milling tests were carried out in order to identify the effects of cutting speed on cutting forces and tool wear when high-speed face milling Inconel 718 with Sialon ceramic tools. Both down-milling and up-milling operations were conducted. The cutting forces, tool wear morphologies, and the tool failure mechanisms in a wide range of cutting speeds (600–3,000 m/min) were discussed. Results showed that the resultant cutting forces firstly decrease and then increase with the increase of cutting speed. Under relatively lower cutting speeds (600 and 1,000 m/min), the dominant wear patterns is notching. Further increasing the speed to more than 1,400 m/min, the notching decreases a lot and flank wear becomes the dominant wear pattern. In general, at the same cutting speed, flaking on the rake face and notching on the flank face are more serious in down-milling operation than that in up-milling operation with the same metal removal volume. However, the surface roughness values for down-milling are lower than that for up-milling.     

Analysis of tool wear patterns in finishing turning of Inconel 718

This paper focuses on the analysis of tool wear mechanisms in finishing turning of Inconel 718, one of the most used Ni alloys, both in wet and dry cutting. Cemented carbides, ceramics and CBN tools are suitable for machining Ni alloys; coated carbide tools are competitive for machining operations of Ni alloys and widely used in industry. Commercial coated carbide tools (multilayer coating TiAl/TiAlN recommended for machining Ni alloys) were studied in this work. The feasibility of two inserts tested for dry cutting of Inconel 718 has been shown in the work. Experimental test were performed in order to analyze wear patterns evolution. It was found great influence of side cutting edge angle in tool wear mode.     

Analysis of residual stress and work-hardened profiles on Inconel 718 when face turning with large-nose radius tools

Surface integrity (SI) and, particularly, the residual stress profile, has a great influence on the fatigue life of machined aeronautical critical parts. Among the different cutting parameters that affect the final SI, tool geometry is one of the most important factors. In particular, tool nose radius determines the surface roughness, as well as the thermoplastic deformation of the workpiece. Indeed, the use of large tool nose radius in the industry enables (1) increasing the feed rate while keeping the roughness values below specifications and (2) reducing the influence of the tool wear in the surface roughness. Therefore, in this study, the influence of tool nose radius in the induced residual stress profile and work-hardened layer when face turning Inconel 718 is analysed for a cutting speed range between (30–70 m/min) and a feed rate range of (0.15–0.25 mm/rev). For this purpose, residual stress profiles and work-hardened layer were measured by x-ray diffraction method after machining with a 4 mm nose radius. Then, results have been compared against different tool nose radius studies carried out by other authors for the specified working conditions. Results revealed that residual stress profiles varied when machining with different nose radius for the studied range. In particular, the increase of the nose radius brought to a higher difference between surface tensile stress and subsurface compressive peak stress, which is attributed to an increase of the thermal effect. Moreover, thicker work-hardened layer (around 100 μm) was observed when machining with large-nose radius for the studied working conditions.     

The performance Of DLC-coated and uncoated ultra-fine carbide tools in micromilling of Inconel 718

Coating is an important factor that affects cutting-tool performance. In particular, it directly affects surface quality and burr formation in the micro milling process. After the micromechanical machining process, surface quality is very hard to increase by a second process (grinding, etc.). In addition, in micromechanical machining, the cutting tool needs to have a good resistance to wear, owing to the fact that the cutting process is carried out at high speed. In this study, the machinability of Inconel 718 superalloy was investigated, using a Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) coated tool. The experimental tests were carried out in dry cutting conditions for different feed rates and depth of cuts. It was found that the dominant wear mechanism for all cutting parameters was identified to be abrasive and diffusive wear. Besides, a significantly Built Up Edge (BUE) formation was observed in uncoated tool. The results clearly show that DLC coating significantly decreased BUE. In addition, a smaller cutting force and better surface roughness were obtained with a DLC-coated tool. In conclusion, DLC coating can be used in micro milling of Inconel 718. It reduces the BUE and burr formation, improves surface roughness.     

高速干车削钴基高温合金的陶瓷刀具磨损机理研究

针对难加工材料钴基高温合金GH605,采用Al2O3基和Sialon基陶瓷刀具进行高速干车削试验,分析在不同切削速度下的刀具后刀面磨损量、刀具磨损形式以及磨损机理.研究表明:Sialon基陶瓷刀具后刀面磨损量大于Al2O3基陶瓷刀具后刀面磨损量;Al203基陶瓷刀具主要磨损形式为前后刀面的正常磨损、前后刀面的非正常剥落和微崩刃,低切削速度时磨损机理主要为磨粒磨损、黏结磨损,高切削速度时还伴有氧化磨损;Sialon基陶瓷刀具磨损形式主要以破损为主.该研究可以为高速干车削钴基高温合金的高性能陶瓷刀具的设计、刀具寿命预测等提供理论指导.     

Performance of coated, cemented carbide, mixed-ceramic and PCBN-H tools when turning W320 steel

TiN-coated cemented carbide, mixed ceramic and PCBN with a high percentage of CBN (PCBN-H) tools were used for reconditioned turning of hardened and tempered W320 steel hot working dies. The dies are usually scraped after their useful life because they are difficult to be reconditioned by machining. One alternative to scraping these dies is to convert them, increasing their internal diameters by internal turning. The machining experiments showed that coated carbide tools performed better at cutting speeds up to 120 m/min, while PCBN tools were superior at higher speeds up to 200 m/min. Mixed ceramic tools did not perform well under the conditions investigated. The tribological system showed abrasion, adhesion and plastic deformation as the dominant wear mechanisms. Chipping on the tool rake and flank faces, as well as catastrophic failure, was also observed in some experiments.     

Performance of graded nano-composite ceramic tools in ultra-high-speed milling of Inconel 718

The cutting performance, failure types, and mechanisms of the graded nano-composite ceramic tools were investigated during dry face milling of Inconel 718. In these tests, round ceramic inserts were used at cutting speeds ranging from 500 to 1,100 m/min. The structures of the chips, cutting forces, and surface roughness were also examined. Failure surfaces of the tools were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that the graded tool possessed a self-sharpening characteristic and exhibited higher cutting performance compared with the homogeneous ones, as a result of its enhanced mechanical properties, higher abrasive wear, and fracture resistance. The failure mechanisms of the tools involved chipping, flaking, notch wear, abrasive wear, and adhesive wear. The mechanisms responsible for the higher cutting performance of the graded tools were inferred to be the formation of compressive residual stress in the surface layer induced by the graded compositional structure.     

Tool life and wear mechanism of coated and uncoated Al2O3/TiCN mixed ceramic tools in turning hardened alloy steel

The focus of this paper is the continuous turning of hardened AISI 52100 (～63HRc) using coated and uncoated ceramic Al₂O₃–TiCN mixed inserts, which are cheaper than cubic boron nitride (CBN) or polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN). The machinability of hardened steel was evaluated by measurements of tool wear, tool life, and surface finish of the workpiece. Wear mechanisms and patterns of ceramic inserts in hard turning of hardened AISI 52100 are discussed. According to the results obtained, fracture and chipping type damages occur more frequently in uncoated tools, whereas crater wear is the more common type of damage in TiN coated tools. Most important result obtained from the study is that TiN coating and crater wear affect chip flow direction. In uncoated ceramic tool, the crater formation results in decrease of chip up-curl radius. Besides, uncoated cutting tool results in an increase in the temperature at the tool chip interface. This causes a thermal bi-metallic effect between the upper and lower sides of the chip that forces the chip to curl a smaller radius. Chips accumulate in front of the tool and stick to the workpiece depending on the length of the cutting time. This causes the surface quality to deteriorate. TiN coating not only ensures that the cutting tool is tougher, but also ensures that the surface quality is maintained during cutting processes.     

Suppression of notch wear of a whisker reinforced ceramic tool in air-jet-assisted high-speed machining of Inconel 718

This paper describes the notch and flank wear specific to a SiC whisker reinforced alumina tool in air jet assisted (AJA) turning of nickel-base superalloy Inconel 718 at high cutting speeds. An AJA machining experiment has revealed that the air jet applied to the tool tip in addition to coolant dramatically reduces the depth-of-cut notch wear. As a result, the width of flank wear, but not the size of notch wear, determined the life of a ceramic tool in AJA machining of Inconel 718. This is a reason for the large extension and small variation of the tool life when high speed AJA machining is adopted. The maximum tool life length reached 2160 m at a cutting speed of 660 m/min under the given cutting conditions. Finally, the mechanisms of the notch and flank wear of a SiC whisker reinforced alumina tool in AJA machining are discussed from the viewpoints of tribochemical reactions and tool wear anisotropy.     

Flank and crater wear mechanisms of alumina-based cutting tools when machining steel

Two ceramic tool materials CC620 (a pure ceramic containing Al₂O₃ and ZrO₂) and CC650 (a mixed ceramic containing Al₂O₃ and Ti(N, C)) were used to cut steel SS 2541 (similar to AISI 4337) heat treated to a hardness of 300 HB. The worn cutting edge surfaces were examined using optical and scanning electron microscopy techniques. Crater and flank wear was measured using a profilometer and light microscopy. It was found that crater wear was mainly athermal while flank wear was the result of a thermally activated process.Crater wear was found to depend on several processes: plastic deformation, chemical reaction with workpiece material and formation of built-up layers. Altogether these processes resulted in an athermal behaviour. Flank wear in contrast was also found to depend on plastic deformation but predominantly on an intergranular fracture mechanism, where it is proposed that crack initiation occurred by dislocation pile-ups at grain boundaries. These dislocation pile-ups were considered to be the result of thermally activated plastic deformation, for which temperatures were not high enough to activate the secondary slip systems.     

Multi-objective optimization of surface roughness and cutting forces in high-speed turning of Inconel 718 using Taguchi grey relational analysis (TGRA)

In this paper, a new effective approach, Taguchi grey relational analysis has been applied to experimental results in order to optimize the high-speed turning of Inconel 718 with consideration to multiple performance measures. The approach combines the orthogonal array design of experiments with grey relational analysis. Grey relational theory is adopted to determine the best process parameters that give lower magnitude of cutting forces as well as surface roughness. The response table and the grey relational grade graph for each level of the machining parameters have been established. The parameters: cutting speed, 475?m/min; feed rate, 0.10?mm/rev; depth of cut, 0.50?mm; and CW2 edge geometry have highest grey relational grade and therefore are the optimum parameter values producing better turning performance in terms of cutting forces and surface roughness. Depth of cut shows statistical significance on overall turning performance at 95% confidence interval.     

Investigation and optimization of lubrication parameters in high speed turning of superalloy Inconel 718

Dry machining is sometimes less effective when higher machining efficiency, better surface finish quality, and severe cutting conditions are required. For these situations, semi-dry operations utilizing very small amount of cutting fluids called minimum quantity lubrication is expected to become a powerful tool and played a significant role in a number of practical applications. It has been observed from the literature survey that a systematic research work has to be carried out to determine the optimum quantity of lubricant with appropriate cutting conditions for achieving better machinability characteristics of a material. Hence, an attempt has been made in this paper to enhance the machinability characteristics in high speed turning of superalloy Inconel 718 using quantity of lubricant, delivery pressure at the nozzle, frequency of pulses, direction of application of cutting fluid, cutting speed, and feed rate as the process parameters. Results indicated that the use of optimized minimum quantity lubrication parameters under pulsed jet mode leads to lower cutting force, cutting temperature, and flank wear.