Application of Micro-textured Surface Prepared by an Integrated Molding Process in Sustainable Turning of Titanium Alloy

Abstract

Titanium alloys have been widely used as an aerospace material owing to their excellent mechanical properties. However, ordinary tools can suffer from severe chip adhesion and surface abrasion when turning titanium alloys. To address these problems, micro-textured cutting tools have become a topic of significant research. Here, to improve the preparation process of textured tools, a novel tool prepared by an integrated molding process was proposed. The performance of this novel textured tool in terms of turning Ti-6Al-4V was investigated under dry conditions and minimal quantities of lubricant (MQL). Textured surfaces with four types of patterns and dimensions were used in the turning experiment to draw a comparison with traditional cutting tools. The results showed that the textured surface exhibited a uniform and smooth appearance with no obvious defects, indicating that the integrity of the textured surface was maintained. The combination of a micro-textured surface and the MQL method decreased the process temperature and cutting force. The narrower parallel type of textured tool exhibited the best performance. The process temperature reduced to 124 ℃ for the narrower parallel textured tool under MQL, decreasing by ~ 14.5% compared with the traditional tool; the lowest main cutting force and feed force were obtained for the narrower parallel textured tool, approximately 212 N and 171 N, respectively. Significant improvements in chip adhesion and tool wear were observed for the textured tool. Application of textured surface and MQL method are both decreased the adhesive scale layer area on the rake face of tools compared with ordinary tools.