Machining Aerospace Materials with Room-Temperature and Cooled Minimal-Quantity Cutting Fluids

Abstract

The impact on the cutting forces and tool wear in the turning of the four most common aero-engine alloys (Inconel 718, Waspaloy, martensitic stainless steel, and titanium alloys) with minimal-quantity cooling lubrication fluids both at room temperature and when cooled have been investigated for different cutting conditions. Parameters such as the fluid-type and cutting insert materials used were varied, as were the cutting parameters. Methods of statistical experimental design were used in order to extract, in the smallest number of experimental runs, the maximum amount of information from the collected data in the presence of noise. In this work, no evidence is found that lubrication plays a significant role during the turning of high-temperature alloys. When using room-temperature liquids, the cutting forces show in most cases either no significant changes or an increase. For the cooled cases, both significantly increasing forces and significantly decreasing forces can be observed. The most favourable industrial result is the reduction in the tool wear that can be seen for the machining of titanium alloys.