Study of surface quality in high speed turning of Inconel 718 with uncoated and coated CBN tools

Inconel 718 is known to be among the most difficult-to-machine materials due to its special properties which cause the short tool life and severe surface damages. The properties, which are responsible for poor machinability, include rapid work hardening during machining; tendency to weld with the tool material at high temperature generated during machining; the tendency to form a built-up edge during machining; and the presence of hard carbides, such as titanium carbide and niobium carbide, in their microstructure. Conventional method of machining Inconel 718 with cemented carbide tool restricts the cutting speed to a maximum 30?m/min due to the lower hot hardness of carbide tool, high temperature strength and low thermal conductivity of Inconel 718. The introduction of new coated carbide tools has increased cutting speed to 100?m/min; nevertheless, the time required to machine this alloy is still considerably high. High speed machining using advanced tool material, such as CBN, is one possible alternative for improving the productivity of this material due to its higher hot hardness in comparison with carbide tool. This paper specifically deals with surface quality generated under high speed finishing turning conditions on age-hardened Inconel 718 with focus on surface roughness, metallographic analysis of surface layer and surface damages produced by machining. Both coated and uncoated CBN tools were used in the tests, and a comparison between surfaces generated by both tools was also discussed.     

用于加工Inconel718的切削刀具发展现状

镍基高温合金Inconel718具有熔点高、热传导率低、加工硬化现象严重的特点,被认为是最难加工的金属材料之一。近年来,随着航空航天、能源动力技术的飞速发展,Inconel718高温合金的应用越来越多,其高速、高效切削的加工需求也日益扩张,其切削工艺的制定、尤其是切削刀具的选择越来越重要。本文综述了常用于加工In-conel718的刀具(高速钢、硬质合金、陶瓷、立方氮化硼)及其涂层刀具的加工性能,分析了不同涂层对于刀具寿命和工件表面质量的影响,对硬质合金刀具和陶瓷刀具作了详尽的对比分析。最后,对高速钢、陶瓷、硬质合金和立方氮化硼刀具切削Inconel718的应用情况进行了总结,给出了Inconel718高温合金切削加工刀具选择的有益参考。     

Finish Machining of Nickel-Base Inconel 718 Alloy with Coated Carbide Tool under Conventional and High-Pressure Coolant Supplies

Single-point turning of Inconel 718 alloy with commercially available Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD)-coated carbide tools under conventional and high-pressure coolant supplies up to 20.3 MPa was carried out. Tool life, surface roughness (Ra), tool wear, and component forces were recorded and analyzed. The test results show that acceptable surface finish and improved tool life can be achieved when machining Inconel 718 with high coolant pressures. The highest improvement in tool life (349%) was achieved when machining with 11 MPa coolant supply pressure at higher speed conditions of 60 m · min^?1. Machining with coolant pressures in excess of 11 MPa at cutting speeds up to 40 m · min^?1 lowered tool life more than when machining under conventional coolant flow at a feed rate of 0.1 mm · rev^?1. This suggests that there is a critical coolant pressure under which the cutting tools performed better under high-pressure coolant supplies.

Cutting forces increased with increasing cutting speed due probably to reactive forces introduced by the high-pressure coolant jet. Tool wear/wear rate increased gradually with prolonged machining with high coolant pressures due to improved coolant access to the cutting interface, hence lowering cutting temperature. Nose wear was the dominant tool failure mode when machining with coated carbide tools due probably to a reduction in the chip-tool and tool-workpiece contact length/area.     

Study of surface quality in machining nickel-based alloy Inconel 718

In machining operation, the surface quality is one of the most important requirements for many workpieces. Because of the special physical and chemical properties, good-machined surface quality becomes a key issue to solve in machining Inconel 718. In this paper, PVD-TiAlN-coated carbide tools were used to turn Inconel 718. Based on observing the tool wear and machined surface morphology, the main factors affecting surface quality at different cutting speeds were analyzed. The optimal cutting temperature was calculated, according to the above analysis and Archard adhesion wear model, and further cutting parameters optimization was conducted, on the basis of the proposed optimal cutting temperature. The optimized cutting parameters based on optimal cutting temperature can be considered to improve surface quality.     

Performance and wear mechanisms of whisker-reinforced alumina, coated and uncoated PCBN tools when high-speed turning aged Inconel 718

Inconel 718, an efficient superalloy for energy and aerospace applications, is currently machined with cemented carbide tools at low speed (v _c?≈?60 m/min) due to its unfavorable mechanical and thermal properties. The article presents results of a study of superalloy machinability with whisker-reinforced alumina, uncoated and coated polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) tools. Turning of age-hardened Inconel 718 (45 HRC) was done under high-speed machining conditions (v _c?=?250…350 m/min). Aspects of tool life, tool wear, and generated surface quality were studied. Application of uncoated PCBN tools resulted in surface quality and force level superior to other tool materials. Considerable sideflow of workpiece material was found to affect surface quality, especially for coated PCBN and ceramic tools. It was found that protective function of the coating, which increases the tool life up to 20 %, is limited only to low cutting speed range. EDX and AFM analyses suggested dominance of chemical and abrasive wear mechanisms. EDX mapping of worn tools pointed absence of diffusional wear for PCBN tools and intensive degradation of whisker reinforcement in ceramic tools due to diffusion of Ni, Fe, and Cr.     

Development of a novel cubic boron nitride cutting tool with a textured flank face for high-speed machining of Inconel 718

Nickel-based superalloys such as Inconel 718 offer several advantages, including high-temperature strength and high corrosion resistance; this has led to a rapid increase in the demand for such materials, particularly in the aircraft industry. In contrast, these alloys are known to be among the most difficult-to-cut materials because of their mechanical and chemical properties, and tools used for this purpose have extremely short lifetimes. Recently, cubic boron nitride (CBN), which is the second hardest of all known materials, has received significant attention as a material for cutting tools and has already established itself in many fields of application. However, the performance of CBN tools is still insufficient for practical use, especially in the high-speed machining of Inconel 718. To overcome this problem, we first conducted orthogonal cutting experiments on Inconel 718 and performed cross-sectional observations of the CBN cutting tool in order to identify its wear mechanisms in continuous cutting operations under high-speed machining conditions (300 m/min). As a result, it was found that fatal tool failure occurs through crater and flank wear because of diffusion led by high cutting temperatures and subsequent chip adhesion to the tool flank face, accompanied by cutting edge chipping. Based on these results, a CBN cutting tool with a textured flank face was newly developed to improve the cutting tool life. Experimental: results showed that micro grooves generated on the flank face significantly suppressed the cutting edge chipping and remarkably extended the lifetime of the CBN tool during high-speed machining of Inconel 718.     

Evaluation of machining performance in cryogenic machining of Inconel 718 and comparison with dry and MQL machining

There has been significant work on establishing relationships between machining performance and the cutting parameters for various work materials. Recent trends in machining research show that major efforts are being made to understand the impact of various cooling/lubrication methods on machining performance and surface integrity characteristics, all aimed at improving process and product performance. This study presents the experimental results of cryogenic machining of Inconel 718, a high-temperature aerospace alloy, and comparison of its performance in dry and minimum quantity lubrication machining. Experimental data on force components, progressive tool wear parameters such as flank wear, notch wear, crater wear, cutting temperature, chip morphology, and surface roughness/topography of machined samples are presented. New findings show that cryogenic machining is a promising research direction for machining of high-temperature aerospace alloy, Inconel 718, as it offers improved machining performance in terms of reduced tool wear, temperature, and improved surface quality. It was also found that the number of nozzles in cryogenic machining plays a vital role in controlling cutting forces and power consumption in cryogenic machining of Inconel 718.     

Investigation of surface integrity in dry machining of Inconel 718

Machining of advanced aerospace materials have grown in the recent years although the diffucult-to-machine characteristics of alloys like titanium or nickel-based alloys cause higher cutting forces, rapid tool wear, and more heat generation. Therefore, machining with the use of cooling lubricants is usually carried out. To reduce the production costs and to make the processes environmentally safe, the goal is to move toward dry cutting by eliminating cutting fluids. This objective can be achieved by using coated tool, by increasing cutting speed, and by improving the product performance in term of surface integrity and product quality. The paper addresses the effects of cutting speed and feed on the surface integrity during dry machining of Inconel 718 alloy using coated tools. In particular, the influence of the cutting conditions on surface roughness, affected layer, microhardness, grain size, and microstructural alteration was investigated. Results show that cutting conditions have a significant effect on the parameters related to the surface integrity of the product affecting its overall performance.     

Cutting forces and wear in dry machining of Inconel 718 with coated carbide tools

In the machining of heat resistant super alloys used in aeronautical applications and classified as difficult-to-machine materials, the consumption of cooling lubricant during the machining operations is very important. The associated costs of coolant acquisition, use, disposal and washing the machined components are significant, up to four times the cost of consumable tooling used in the cutting operations. To reduce the costs of production and to make the processes environmentally safe, the goal of the aeronautical manufacturers is to move toward dry cutting by eliminating or minimising cutting fluids. This goal can be achieved by using coated carbide tools at high cutting speeds. To achieve this goal, different coated tools and different cutting conditions were tested in dry conditions. The elementary orthogonal cutting process was chosen, the cutting and feed cutting forces components were measured and the cutting force ratio calculated. This ratio is shown to be as an interesting indicator of tool wear. The tool wear mechanisms tool were analysed by using white light interferometer and scanning electron microscopy coupled to an energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy EDS-system. The EDS was very useful to analyse the elements deposited on the cutting tool faces. The ability of the different coatings to increase the carbide tool performance were analysed, the main wear modes were depicted. An optimisation of the cutting conditions was finally proposed and the efficiency of the coatings was shown. The results coming from uncoated tools were compared with those obtained with coated tools under the same conditions of machining. At the end, a choice of coatings is proposed and an extension of this study to an industrial machining operation is presented for future developments.     

Wear behavior of adaptive nano-multilayered AlTiN/MexN PVD coatings during machining of aerospace alloys

Machining of aerospace materials is one of the major challenges of modern manufacturing. Application of nano-multilayered AlTiN/Me_xN PVD coatings (where Me_x is a transition metal of V-VI groups of periodic table) to cemented carbide tooling results in a significant tool life improvement under conditions of cutting hard to machine alloys such as Ni-based Inconel 718 superalloy and Ti-based TiAl6V4 alloy. Microhardness and coefficient of friction of the coatings were measured during this experiment. Investigations of the coated tool life, wear behavior, chip formation (chip type and undersurface morphology) for cutting tools with nano-multilayered PVD coating were also performed. Morphology of worn tools has been studied using SEM and EDX. This study will show that metallurgical design of the nano-multilayered coating should be tailored to its application. To achieve better tool life when machining Inconel 781, adaptive nano-multilayered AlTiN/MoN coating is recommended, whereas a AlTiN/VN coating is better suited to machining TiAl6V4 alloy. A driving force behind selecting these coatings was a noticeably lower coefficient of friction at elevated temperatures.     

涂层硬质合金刀具切削Inconel718合金的有限元分析

采用Third Wave AdvantEdge切削仿真软件对Inconel 718合金进行车削有限元模拟,通过2D有限元模块分析了单层/多层涂层硬质合金刀具,在不同切削速度下的切削力、进给力和切削温度,以及涂层厚度对切削性能的影响,研究结果对新刀具材料和涂层的设计具有一定指导作用。     

EFFECT OF CUTTING SPEED AND SURFACE CHEMISTRY OF CUTTING TOOLS ON THE FORMATION OF BUL OR BUE AND SURFACE QUALITY OF THE GENERATED SURFACE IN DRY TURNING OF AA6005 ALUMINIUM ALLOY

In the present investigation, AA6005 (ISO: AlSiMg) alloy was machined in turning operation with different cutting tools, such as uncoated cemented carbide insert, PVD TiN coated, CVD diamond coated and PCD insert, under dry environment. Effect of cutting speed was studied for each of the cutting tools with regard to the formation of built-up layer (BUL) or built-up edge (BUE). The rake surface of the tools was characterized by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopic microanalysis. Particular emphasis was given on wear mechanism of PVD TiN coated insert, conventionally used in machining ferrous alloys, during dry turning of AA6005 alloy. It has been observed that increase of cutting speed from 200 m/min to as high as 1000 m/min could not substantially reduce formation of BUL over tool rake surface during dry machining of AA6005 alloy with uncoated or PVD TiN coated cemented carbide inserts. The potential of diamond-based tools in dry machining of aluminium alloy was also studied. Finally, the effect of cutting speed on surface finish of the workpiece machined with different cutting tools was studied during dry turning of AA6005 alloy.     

Effect of high-pressure cooling on life of SiAlON tools in machining of Inconel 718

High-pressure cooling has proven to be very effective when machining with carbide inserts. Longer tool life and improved chip breaking are among the most commonly mentioned advantages. Nevertheless, this cooling method has been reported to reduce the life of ceramic tools in machining of heat-resistant alloys. The main reason for that is said to be the accelerated notch wear. Therefore, in this study, SiAlON ceramic inserts with improved resistance to notching were tested in machining of Inconel?718 under high-pressure cooling. The results were compared to conventional cooling. It turned out that, while notch wear was still slightly increased when high-pressure cooling was applied, it was no longer critical for the tool life. Flank wear, on the other hand, was reduced, which led to significantly longer tool life. The variation of the tool life appeared to be slightly less and chip breaking was considerably improved. This shows that, when used properly, high-pressure cooling can help to increase the productivity in machining of heat-resistant alloys with ceramic tools.     

The performance Of DLC-coated and uncoated ultra-fine carbide tools in micromilling of Inconel 718

Coating is an important factor that affects cutting-tool performance. In particular, it directly affects surface quality and burr formation in the micro milling process. After the micromechanical machining process, surface quality is very hard to increase by a second process (grinding, etc.). In addition, in micromechanical machining, the cutting tool needs to have a good resistance to wear, owing to the fact that the cutting process is carried out at high speed. In this study, the machinability of Inconel 718 superalloy was investigated, using a Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) coated tool. The experimental tests were carried out in dry cutting conditions for different feed rates and depth of cuts. It was found that the dominant wear mechanism for all cutting parameters was identified to be abrasive and diffusive wear. Besides, a significantly Built Up Edge (BUE) formation was observed in uncoated tool. The results clearly show that DLC coating significantly decreased BUE. In addition, a smaller cutting force and better surface roughness were obtained with a DLC-coated tool. In conclusion, DLC coating can be used in micro milling of Inconel 718. It reduces the BUE and burr formation, improves surface roughness.     

Chip Formation Mechanism of Inconel 718:A Review of Models and Approaches

Inconel 718,a nickel,chrome and iron alloy,has special advantages,such as high-temperature strength,thermal resistance and corrosion resistance,which facilitate wide usage in the aerospace industry,especially in the hot sec-tions of gas turbine engines.However,machining this alloy is correlated closely with the material's inherent properties such as excellent combination of strength,hardness and toughness,low thermal conductivity and the tendency to adhere to cutting tools.This nickel alloy also contains inclusions of hard abrasive carbide particles that lead to work-hardening of the workpiece material and thus abrasive wear of the cutting tool.That is,the machining of Inconel 718 is always influenced by high mechanical and thermal loads.This article reviews the chip formation mechanism of Inconel 718.One of the main characteristics in machining of Inconel 718 is that it will produce serrated or segmented chips in a wide range of cutting speeds and feeds.Existing studies show that the chip serration or segmentation by shear localization affects the machined surface integrity,and also contributes to the chip's evacuation and the auto-mation of machining operations.Thus,research conclusion indicates that the serrated or segmented chip phenom-enon is desirable in reducing the level of cutting force,and detailed analysis of models and approaches to understand the chip formation mechanism of Inconel 718 is vital for machining this alloy effectively and efficiently.Therefore,this article presents some summaries on the models and approaches on the chip formation in machining of Inconel 718.     

Wear Behavior of PVD and CVD Coated Carbide Tools when Face Milling Inconel 718

The wear behavior of two types of coated cemented carbide tools has been studied when face milling a nickel-based superalloy Inconel 718. PVD-TiN and CVD-TiCN+Al₂O₃ tools were used. It was found that the coatings were detached after only five seconds of cutting. An attrition type wear mechanism associated with workpiece material adhesion was observed which eventually led to severe chipping, flaking, plastic deformation and cracking. It was noted that the coatings had no significant effect on tool performance under the cutting conditions tested.     

钛合金零件高速铣削刀具磨损的试验研究

高速铣削钛合金时,由于切削区内的切削温度高,加剧了刀具的磨损。通过对钛合金TC4的高速铣削实验,得出带TiA lN涂层的硬质合金刀具切削钛合金TC4时的刀具磨损的变化规律和刀具耐用度公式。通过对刀具磨损特性的分析,研究结果主要是刀具表面层的粘结相Co在高温下丧失对WC颗粒的结合强度,磨损机理以高温下的粘结层撕裂磨损为主。     

Carbide tool wear mechanism in turning of Inconel 718 superalloy

Wear surfaces of the cutting tools are analyzed to study the wear mechanism of cemented carbide tools in turning in Inconel 718 superalloys. SEM and EPMA analyses indicated that the wear of carbide tools during high speed turning condition (V = 35 m min⁻¹) was caused by diffusion of elements (Ni or Fe) in workpiece into tool's binder (Co) by a grain boundary diffusion mechanism. This action weakened the bonding strength between carbide particles (WC, TiC, TaC) and the binder (Co). The carbide particles were then detached out of the cemented carbide tool by high flow stresses. The proposed grain boundary diffusion mechanism is also confirmed by theoretical analysis.     

加工In718时硬质合金涂层刀具的磨损机理

采用硬质合金涂层刀具对镍基合金In718进行了车削试验,分析了硬质合金刀具的磨损形态、磨损机理,并给出了不同条件下的刀具寿命。结果表明,涂层硬质合金切削In718时的主要磨损形式为涂层剥落。     

铁基粉末冶金材料的高速干切削试验研究

用陶瓷刀具、涂层刀具和硬质合金刀具进行了铁基粉末冶金零件的干切削对比试验,研究了切削速度、切削深度以及进给速度与刀具耐用度和加工表面粗糙度的关系,分析了陶瓷刀具的磨损机理。结果表明所选用陶瓷刀具的切削性能明显优于涂层刀具和硬质合金刀具;陶瓷刀具前刀面主要磨损形式为月牙洼磨损与剥落,后刀面的主要磨损原因为磨粒磨损;认为陶瓷刀具更适合用于粉末冶金零件的切削加工。