Title: Increasing productivity in high speed machining of Ti-6Al-4V alloy under high pressure coolant supply

Authors: Rosemar Batista Da Silva, Alisson Rocha Machado, Emmanuel Okechukwu Ezugwu, John Bonney

Addresses: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Uberlandia, Av. Joao Naves de Avila, 2.121, Uberlandia, MG 38.408-902, Brazil. ' Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Uberlandia, Av. Joao Naves de Avila, 2.121, Uberlandia, MG 38.408-902, Brazil. ' Department of Engineering Systems, Machining Research Centre, London South Bank University, 103 Borough Road, London, England SE1 0AA, UK. ' Department of Engineering Systems, Machining Research Centre, London South Bank University, 103 Borough Road, London, England SE1 0AA, UK

Abstract: Cemented carbide tools are the most common tool materials employed in the machining of titanium alloys. Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD) tools can substantially enhance the machining productivity. So, this study investigates the performance of PCD tools when machining Ti-6Al-4V alloy at cutting speeds up to 250 m min-1 with coolant delivered under pressures. The results show that longer tool life can be achieved when machining with high pressure coolant supplies up to 20.3 MPa compared with the conventional coolant flow. Up to three folds increase in cutting speed can be achieved when machining with uncoated cemented carbide tools relative to that currently used for manufacture in industry, while with PCD tools, up to five fold increase in cutting speed is achievable when machining with PCD tools.

Keywords: higher cutting conditions; high pressure coolant; titanium alloys; polycrystalline diamond tools; PCD; tool life; high speed machining; high speed cutting; cemented carbide tools.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMMM.2007.013784

International Journal of Machining and Machinability of Materials, 2007 Vol.2 No.2, pp.222 - 232

Published online: 28 May 2007 *

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