Title: Effects of surface modifications on steel's machinability in single-point diamond turning

Authors: Z.J. Li; F.Z. Fang; Hu Gong; X.D. Zhang

Addresses: Centre of Micro/nano Manufacturing Technology, School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Precision Instrument & Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, China ' Centre of Micro/nano Manufacturing Technology, School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Precision Instrument & Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, China ' Centre of Micro/nano Manufacturing Technology, School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Precision Instrument & Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, China ' Centre of Micro/nano Manufacturing Technology, School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Precision Instrument & Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, China

Abstract: Surface modifications are employed in single-point diamond turning of steels to reduce the chemical-reactive wear of diamond tool to an acceptable degree. Different thermochemical modifications, i.e., plasma nitriding, boronising, siliconising, boronitriding and compound boronising-aluminising, are designed to bond the atoms of transition metal elements in steels with the chosen elements. The effects of various surface modifications on steels machinability are investigated mainly in terms of tool wear and workpiece surface quality. It is found that nitrogen (N) is beneficial to improve the tool life; N, silicon (Si) and aluminium (Al) may help to obtain a mirrorlike surface; B plays the negative role in steel's machinability in single-point diamond turning. Developing suitable-for-diamond-cutting materials on which nanometric surface finish can be achieved is proposed according to the role of the permeated elements.

Keywords: ultra-precision machining; surface modification; steel machinability; diamond tool wear; single-point diamond turning; surface quality; surface roughness; nitrogen; tool life; silicon; aluminium; plasma nitriding; boron nitriding.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPTECH.2013.053299

International Journal of Precision Technology, 2013 Vol.3 No.2, pp.105 - 116

Published online: 27 May 2013 *

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