Identification of tool wear and surface morphology measurements in sustainable milling of Al 6082 hybrid metal matrix composite

Abstract

Aluminium hybrid metal matrix composites have significantly increased in many advanced applications owing to their unique properties. However, these hybrid composites are difficult to machine because of hard reinforcements in the matrix. After identifying the optimum cutting conditions, it's crucial to identify the tool wear mechanisms to keep surface roughness within the desired range, especially with hybrid composites. Hence, the present work mainly focuses on identifying the wear mechanism of PVD-coated TiAlN cutting tool inserts during the end milling of Al 6082 hybrid metal matrix composites. MQL, CO2, and a combination of MQL + CO2 cooling conditions were employed over the cutting zone to decrease tool wear. In the context of 300 mm of cutting length, employing CO2, MQL, and MQL + CO2 conditions led to a significant reduction in tool wear by 34.5 %, 50.1 %, and 74.7 %, respectively, compared to dry cutting. The results showed that the MQL + CO2 condition produced better results than the other cooling conditions, improving tool life and surface quality.