Tool wear and cutting forces under cryogenic machining of titanium alloy (Ti17)

Titanium alloy is well known for its difficulty to machine, owing to the important “tool wear” phenomenon. Machining assistance is an interesting solution to lengthen the tool lifetime. In this study, we focused on the effect of cryogenic assistance—during machining of Ti17—on the tool wear and cutting forces for different combinations of cutting speed, feed rate and depth of cut. Compared to conventional lubrication, cryogenic support lengthens the tool life for all tested conditions and has no significant influence on cutting force. A comparison of the cryogenic effect and high-pressure water jet assistance is also presented.