Cutting Behavior of Self-Lubricating Ceramic Tool in Dry Machining of 40Cr Quenched Steel

Abstract

In this paper, the dry cutting performance of Al2O3/TiC-based ceramic composites with nanoCaF2 was studied. Compared with the Al2O3/TiC ceramic tool, the Al2O3/TiC/CaF2 ceramic tool has lower cutting force, cutting temperature and surface roughness when milling 40Cr hardened steel. Three cutting parameters of cutting speed, feed per tooth, and cutting depth were used to conduct orthogonal experiments to study its changing trend. Through testing of cutting force, cutting temperature and surface roughness, and by comparison with ceramic tools without nanosolid lubricant added, the order of influence of three cutting parameters on cutting force, cutting temperature and surface roughness was obtained. The experimental results showed that the cutting force, cutting temperature and surface roughness of Al2O3/TiC/CaF2 ceramic tools containing nanoCaF2 werebetter than those of Al2O3/TiC ceramic tools. The cutting force, the cutting temperature, and the surface roughness were respectively reduced by 16.5%, 25.8% and 43% compared to when no solid lubricant was added. In addition, after adding solid lubricant, the effect of cutting depth on cutting force was significantly reduced. The average friction coefficient of the tool rake surface was 31.1% lower than that of ceramic tools without solid lubricant. In order to explain this phenomenon, through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) scanning and energy spectroscopy (EDS) elemental analysis, the wear reduction mechanism of solid lubricants was analyzed, that is, during the cutting process, nanosolid lubricants precipitated and formed lubricating film on the rake surface of the tool to reduce the friction coefficient. This was also the main reason for reducing the cutting temperature.