Investigation of Tool Wear and Optimization of Process Parameters in Turning of EN8 and EN 36 Steels

Abstract

Machining of steels and obtaining the accuracy is biggest challenge in manufacturing industry by correct and optimal use of tools, the lifetime of tools were predicted previously and replacement should be performed to reach the good surface finish. In most of the engineering applications like gears, shafts, sprockets tec.., EN8, EN36 materials were used. To machine EN8 and EN36 grade steels, tool inserts like silicon carbide and cubic boron nitride were used. These ceramic tools have very good machinability and remarkable life time. This paper deals with investigation of tool wear with coated tool inserts, silicon carbide tools are taken into account and coated with titanium nitride in substrates by physical vapour deposition method(PVD) and EN8, EN 36 specimens were taken for experimentation measuring feed rate, depth of cut, speed of machining in Horizontal turning Centre (CNC Turning). This experimentation involves division of specimen in two categories, EN 8 and EN 36 for both, the process parameters was kept constant throughout the experimentation, the number of trials was found by Taguchi method by using MINITAB 16 and orthogonal array was found to determine the number of trials for experimentation. Cutting force was monitored by lathe tool dynamometer and feed rate, speed, depth of cut was controlled numerically in CNC machine. It was found, coated tool insert gives drastic increase in life time of machining.