Comparative assessment of coated and uncoated ceramic tools on cutting force components and tool wear in hard turning of AISI H11 steel using Taguchi plan and RMS

This study investigated the cutting performance of coated CC6050 and uncoated CC650 mixed ceramics in hard turning of hardened steel. The cutting performance was mainly evaluated by cutting force components and tool wear. The planning of experiments was based on Taguchi’s L₃₆ orthogonal array. The response surface methodology and analysis of variance were used to check the validity of multiple linear regression models and to determine the significant parameter affecting the cutting force components. Tool wear progressions and, hence, tool life, different tool wear forms and wear mechanisms observed for tools coated with TiN and uncoated mixed ceramics are presented along with the images captured by digital and electron microscope. Experimental observations indicate higher tool life with uncoated ceramic tools, which shows encouraging potential of these tools to hard turning of AISI H11 (50 HRC). Finally, tool performance indices are based on units which characterise machined cutting force components and wear when hard turning.