Tool Engage Investigation in Nickel Superalloy Turning Operations

Abstract:

This paper reports the results of an experimental study of the tool wear and cutting forces in turning of Inconel 718 with coated carbide inserts. Inconel 718 is a difficult-to-cut nickel-based super-alloy commonly used in aerospace industry. The effects of cutting speed, feed rate and cutting tool geometry on tool wear have been widely analyzed in literature. Turning operations on complex components such as aircraft engines casings require the insert replacement at the end of each geometric feature manufacturing, independently from the actual tool wear level. For this reason, it is important to preserve tool integrity mainly in the most critical phase of operation (i.e., when the tool engages the workpiece). In fact, if the tool is damaged in this stage the quality of the whole operation is compromised. The attention has been focused on engage cutting conditions because the phenomenon that appears in this critical step plays a wide influence on tool integrity and, consequently, on the quality of the operation. For this purpose a nickel-based super alloy ring-workpiece, (Inconel 718), has been machined in lubricated cutting conditions by using a CNC lathe with carbide coated tools. Two variables have been investigated in this study: the Depth Of Cut (DOC) and the approaching Engage angle (En). In the studied working conditions Speed (S), Feed-rate (F) and removed volume (Vrim) were kept constant. Both tool wear and cutting forces evolution during cutting have been analyzed.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volumes 504-506)
• Pages: 1305-1310
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.504-506.1305
• Online since: February 2012
• Authors: Antonio Del Prete, Antonio Alberto de Vitis, Luigino Filice, Serafino Caruso, Domenico Umbrello
• Keywords: Cutting Force, Inconel 718 Alloy, Tool Wear

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