The present work concerns an experimental study of hard turning with CBN tool of AISI 52100 bearing steel, hardened at 64 HRC. The main objectives are firstly focused on delimiting the hard turning domain and investigating tool wear and forces behaviour evolution versus variations of workpiece hardness and cutting speed. Secondly, the relationship between cutting parameters (cutting speed, feed rate and depth of cut) and machining output variables (surface roughness, cutting forces) through the response surface methodology (RSM) are analysed and modeled. The combined effects of the cutting parameters on machining output variables are investigated while employing the analysis of variance (ANOVA). The quadratic model of RSM associated with response optimization technique and composite desirability was used to find optimum values of machining parameters with respect to objectives (surface roughness and cutting force values). Results show how much surface roughness is mainly influenced by feed rate and cutting speed. Also, it is underlined that the thrust force is the highest of cutting force components, and it is highly sensitive to workpiece hardness, negative rake angle and tool wear evolution. Finally, the depth of cut exhibits maximum influence on cutting forces as compared to the feed rate and cutting speed.

Statistical analysis of surface roughness and cutting forces using response surface methodology in hard turning of AISI 52100 bearing steel with CBN tool

Hard turning is gaining grounds for machining hardened steels as it has several benefits over grinding. There are several issues, which should be understood and dealt with, to achieve successful performance of the process. Researchers have worked upon several aspects related to hard turning. The present work is an effort to review some of these works and to understand the key issues related to process performance. The review shows that the type of tool material, cutting edge geometry and cutting parameters affect the process efficiencies in terms of tool forces, surface integrities integrity, and white layer. Adequate machine rigidity is a must essential to minimize the process inaccuracies. Also moreover, for finish hard turning, where the depth of cut is less than the nose radius of the tool, the forces deviate from the conventional trends as the radial force component is the maximum and axial force component becomes minimum. The present work finally lists down certain areas that can be taken up for further research in hard turning.

State of the art in hard turning

Hard machining of hardened bearing steel using cubic boron nitride tool

Tool wear characterizations in finish turning of AISI 1045 carbon steel for MQCL conditions

Steel parts that carry critical loads in everything from automotive drive trains and jet engines to industrial bearings and metal-forming machinery are normally produced by a series of processes, including time-consuming and costly grinding and polishing operations. Due to the advent of super-hard materials such as polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) cutting tools and improved machine tool designs, hard turning has become an attractive alternative to grinding for steel parts. The potential of hard turning to eliminate the costs associated with additional finishing processes in conventional machining is appealing to industry. The objective of this paper, is to survey the recent research progress in hard turning with CBN tools in regard of tool wear, surface issues and chip formation. A significant pool of CBN turning studies has been surveyed in an attempt to achieve better understanding of tool wear, chip formation, surface finish, white layer formation, micro-hardness variation and residual stress on the basis of varying CBN content, binder, tool edge geometry, cooling methods and cutting parameters. Further important modeling techniques based on finite element, soft computing and other mathematical approaches used in CBN turning are reviewed. In conclusion, a summary of the CBN turning and modeling techniques is outlined and the scope of future work is presented.

Tool wear, chip formation and workpiece surface issues in CBN hard turning: A review

The use of polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) cutting tools in hard turning applications is continuously growing with the number of commercially available grades increasing, allowing new application areas to be explored. In order to take full advantage of the benefits offered by PCBN it is necessary to understand the behaviour of the material in application. Tool behaviour is influenced by many factors which include the composition of the PCBN material, the steel workpiece, the nature of the cutting operation, the cutting conditions and the tool geometry.

The focus of this paper is the continuous turning of hardened steels. A significant amount of research has been carried out in this area and a literature review of the relevant work is presented. This identifies the primary wear modes and discusses the many theories proposed to explain the mechanisms contributing to PCBN tool wear and failure. The final section of the paper considers the critical factors that influence the behaviour of PCBN tools in continuous hard turning and how this knowledge can be applied to optimise tool performance.

Cora Lahiff

Papers

PCBN tool wear modes and mechanisms in finish hard turning