Tool Wear Characteristics of TiCn/Al2O3 Coated Carbide Inserts while Turning Glass Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Resin under Cryogenic Cooling

Abstract

The main issue in machining glass fiber reinforced polymers is a rapid wearing of the cutting tool caused by the superior properties of the fiber reinforcement within the matrix. Cooling in machining processes reduces tool wear and extends tool life. Cryogenic cooling is an alternative method for effective, environmentally friendly, clean and safe cooling. This paper studied the tool wear characteristics of carbide inserts coated with TiCN and Al2O3 in turning glass fiber reinforced epoxy resin pipe. The cutting parameters were various, with cutting speed, feed rate, depth of cut and cutting conditions (without cooling and with cryogenic cooling). Not all cutting speeds that were cooled under cryogenics showed good outcomes. However, the experimental results suggest that using high cutting speed at 1800 rpm and high feed rate at 0.13 mm/rev, together with cryogenic cooling, can reduce the flank wear of the tool compared with no cooling.