Influence of Workpiece Hardness on Tool Wear in Profile Micro-milling of Hardened Tool Steel

Abstract

Machining of engineering metallic materials on micro-level is very complicated. Micro-milling with solid tools, as one of microengineering technologies, is an acceptable process to machining of complex metallic micro-parts. The main problem in micro-milling is sensitivity of cutting tool, due its suppleness and short tool life, and its influences to workpiece accuracy and quality. In this paper is experimentally investigated tool wear of micro-milling tool. During machining tests, influence of workpiece hardness and process parameters is evaluated. Workpiece was cold work alloyed tool steel X155CrVMo12, hardened to different hardness 45, 54 and 63 HRc. Cutting tool was carbide ball-end micro-mill with TiAlN coating, and diameter of 0.6 mm. For different combination of input parameters, tool wear curves is presented, and signification of input parameters on tool wear is evaluated and discussed.

Milling a cement-based 3D printable mortar in its green state using a ball-nosed cutter

“…Milling is effective as the material transitions to its solid state, although the surface quality appears to be less sensitive to tool speeds than for typical materials that are milled. In addition, the abrasive nature of the material may not correlate well with existing studies such as that by Sredanović et al [33] to minimise tool wear.…”

“…The highly abrasive nature of concrete can cause significant tool wear [33]. The resistance offered by the material leads to high cutting forces and tend to require very stiff and heavy machines.…”