Development of a special geometry carbide tool for the optimization of vertical turning of martensitic gray cast iron piston rings

Abstract

The machining process for vertical turning martensitic gray cast iron is of great importance to the automotive industry, mainly in the manufacturing process of piston rings. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the process of development of coated carbide tools to maximize the productivity of the process, considering the maximum life of the cutting tool and the minimum machining cost per part. Using full-factorial design of experiments, we tested two different geometries: a square tool with special geometry—formed by two edges and two ends simultaneously cutting—and a hexagonal tool. Considering that the special square geometry provided maximum life, full quadratic models for responses of interest were constructed using a central composite design for feed (f) and rotation (n). Applying the generalized reduced gradient algorithm, the proposed optimization goals were achieved with feed f = 0.37 mm/v and rotation of 264 rpm for the use of the special square tool. Confirmation experiments prove the effectiveness of this solution.