In this study, the tool performance of two types of binderless diamond tools – single-crystal diamond (SCD) and nano-polycrystalline diamond (NPD) – is investigated in the high-speed cutting of titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) with a water-soluble coolant. The NPD tool allows for a larger cutting force than the SCD tool by dulling of the cutting edge, despite NPD being harder than SCD. This large cutting force and the very low thermal conductivity of NPD yield a high cutting temperature above 500°C, which promotes the adhesion of the workpiece to the tool face, thereby increasing tool wear. Based on the morphology of the tool edge without scratch marks and the elemental analysis by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) of both the flank face and the cutting chips, diffusion-dissolution wear is determined to be the dominant mechanism in the diamond tool. A thin TiC layer seems to be formed in the boundary between the diamond tool and the titanium alloy at high temperatures; this is removed by the cutting chips.

One of the most significant factors in machining process or metal cutting is the cutting tool performance. The rapid wear rate of cutting tools and cutting forces expend due to high cutting temperature is a critical problem to be solved in high-speed machining process, milling. Near-dry machining such as minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) is regarded as one of the solutions to solve this problem. However, the function of MQL in milling process is still uncertain so far which prevents MQL from widely being utilized in this specific machining process. In this paper, the mechanism of cutting tool performance such as tool wear and cutting forces in MQL assisted milling is investigated more comprehensively and the results are compared in three different cutting conditions which is dry cutting, wet cutting (flooding) and MQL. The MQL applicator is constructed from a household grade low-cost 3D printing technique. The chips surface of chips formation in each cutting condition is also observed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) machine. It is found out that wet cutting (flooding) is the best cutting performance compare to MQL and dry cutting. However, it can also be said that wet cutting and MQL produced almost the same value of tool wear and cutting forces as there is negligible differences in average tool wear and cutting forces between them based on the experiment conducted.

This research deals with the hard turning of cemented carbide with CBN and diamond tools, and focuses on the tool performance, mainly tool wear with respect to cutting force and cutting temperature. The internal turning tests without cutting fluid are executed with the vertical machining center. Seven types of tool materials: SC, CVD-SC, two PCDs, BL-NPD (Binderless nano-polycrystalline diamond) and CBN: are selected for cutting three grades of cemented carbides WC having the different Co binder content (12%, 20% and 25%). Attrition has been found to be the main tool wear mechanism for all tools with slight adhesion of the workpiece binder on the tool face. In cutting of softest carbide WC-m (25% Co), the polycrystalline CBN tool has the lowest tool wear than any other PCD tools. In turning of harder carbides WC-d (20% Co) and WC-t (12% Co), both polycrystalline CBN and PCD cannot be used continuously due to their low hardness, and BL-NPD, SC and CVD-SC tools are applicable. And the BL-NPD tool has the best cutting performance with less flank wear. As for WC-d, extremely stable cutting can be done with BL-NPD where the principal cutting force is kept almost constant at 40 N. Only BL-NPD tool can continue to turn the hardest WC-t. In spite of turning hard materials, the tool temperatures measured are relatively low below 450°C due to the high thermal conductivities of tool materials. However, cutting temperature is directly related to the tool wear and cutting force rather than thermal conductivity of tool in turning of WC-m and WC-t.

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