Title: Economic machining analysis of using coated cutting tools machining M42 tool steel at unusually low cutting speeds

Authors: Mark J. Jackson, Michael D. Whitfield, Jonathan S. Morrell, J. Paulo Davim

Addresses: MET, College of Technology, Center for Advanced Manufacturing, Purdue University, 401 North Grant Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2021, USA. ' MET, College of Technology, Center for Advanced Manufacturing, Purdue University, 401 North Grant Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2021, USA. ' MET, College of Technology, Center for Advanced Manufacturing, Purdue University, 401 North Grant Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2021, USA. ' MACTRIB, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro, Aveiro 3810, Portugal

Abstract: Nanostructured coated cutting tools are increasingly being used to machine difficult-to-cut materials. This is especially so in machining hardened tools, exotic alloys and fissile materials. This paper describes the recent developments concerned with machining hardened M42 tool steel that is used to simulate the conditions that pertain to the unusually low-speed machining of fissile materials. An experimental analysis of the wear of coated cutting tools and how the experimentally determined tool life is used to select the most appropriate coating according to the number of components to be machined is presented. The research shows that tools coated with a non-titanium-based coating are superior to those already used for machining hardened tool steels at low cutting speeds.

Keywords: machinability; cutting tools; tool steel; tool life; low cutting speeds; economic machining analysis; nanocoatings; fissile materials; coated tools.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCMSSE.2010.029683

International Journal of Computational Materials Science and Surface Engineering, 2010 Vol.3 No.1, pp.64 - 85

Published online: 01 Dec 2009 *

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