Improving the Performance of Micro-Textured Cutting Tools in Dry Milling of Ti-6Al-4V Alloys.

Ze Wu,Youqiang Xing,Jiansong Chen

doi:10.3390/mi12080945

Abstract

Micro-textured tools were fabricated by making textures on rake faces and filling them with molybdenum disulfide. Dry milling of Ti-6Al-4V alloys was carried out with the micro-textured tools and conventional tools for comparison. Results showed that micro-textured tools can reduce the resultant cutting forces, cutting temperatures, and power consumption by approximately 15%, 10%, and 5%, respectively. Meanwhile, the developed tools can improve tool lives by approximately 20–25%. The radial width of cut, the cutting speed, and the axial depth of cut all had statistical and physical effects on the energy consumption per unit of volume in dry milling of Ti-6Al-4V alloys, while the feed per tooth seemed to have no significant effect. The mechanism for improved performance of micro-textured tools can be mainly interpreted as their self-lubricating function.

Highlights

Dry cutting has obvious advantages in saving energy, protecting the environment, and protecting workers’ health [1,2]
It is thought that surface texturing on cemented carbide cutting tools can alleviate tool wear
The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of surface texturing in improving the dry-milling performance of Ti-6Al-4V alloys, especially the influence of the so-called micro-textured tool on power consumption, which has gradually become the focus of machining operation

Summary

Introduction

Dry cutting has obvious advantages in saving energy, protecting the environment, and protecting workers’ health [1,2]. Because of no cooling effect of the cutting fluid, rapid tool wear often occurs in dry cutting operations [3]. Titanium alloy is a typical difficult-to-machine material because of its high specific strength and low thermal conductivity. In dry cutting of titanium alloy, cutting heat accumulates in the cutting area without being taken away and results in high cutting temperature. Cemented carbide cutting tools have been proved to be suitable for cutting of titanium alloys. It is thought that surface texturing on cemented carbide cutting tools can alleviate tool wear. There are many micro-pit arrays on the textured surface that can store lubricants and capture wear debris [4,5]. Surface texturing has been proved to be effective in improving cutting performance

Objectives

Discussion

Conclusion