Tool Life and Wear Mechanism when Machining LM6 Aluminium (MMC) with Coated and Uncoated High Speed Steel

Abstract

This paper aims to study the tool life of coated and uncoated high speed steel (HSS) when machining LM6 aluminium. The experiment was carried out in dry condition with spindle speed of 5000 rpm and 6000 rpm, and feed rate of 90 mm/min and 120 mm/min. Axial and radial depth of cut remain constant at 0.5 mm and 1.0 mm, respectively during the experiment. Throughout the experiments, coated HSS showed higher tool life as compared to uncoated HSS due to the coating layer of titanium aluminium nitride (TiAlN) provides protection from rapid wear during machining. For both cutting tools, the optimum cutting parameter was recorded at 5000 rpm spindle speed, 90 mm/min feed rate, 0.5 mm axial depth of cut and 1.0 mm radial depth of cut. Some evidence of built up edge (BUE) formation were observed at most of cutting tools, showing the dominant wear mechanisms appear to be adhesive wear.