Design, fabrication and characterization of a self-lubricated textured tool in dry machining

Abstract

The manufacturing industry nowadays is facing various environmental regulations and is in the process of development of new technologies to minimize use of these lubricants during machining. One such trend is noticed in terms of surface texturing in different shapes on rake or flank face of tool which resulted in decrease in tool temperature, wear rate etc. Currently, the machining without lubricant (dry machining) is increasingly useful. This paper deals with one of the promising ways to minimize the use of cutting fluid by the development of self-lubricated tool. By this virtue, a low friction film between the working interfaces were generated during the machining. Molybdenum disulphide (MoS 2 ) powder is employed as the solid lubricant in this work. Micro textures were made on the different faces of the tool using the Epilog Fiber Laser (30Watt pulsed) and the solid lubricant (MoS 2 ) is filled in them for the purpose of self lubrication. Dry plain turning tests were conducted on Al6061-T6 alloy under different machining times and cutting speeds. The performance of textured cutting tool was investigated in terms of interfacial tool temperature and flank wear and also compared with conventional dry tool. The developed textured cutting tool with solid lubricant (MoS 2 ) generated 21–40% less cutting temperature compared to that of the dry cutting tool. This textured cutting tool also exhibited 24–35% reduction in flank wear at different cutting speeds. SEM images show significant improvement in microstructure and wear behavior of self-lubricated textured tool in comparison to the conventional dry tool.