Experimental Investigation on Sialon Ceramic Inserts for Ultra-high-speed Milling of Inconel 718

Abstract

A series of milling aerospace material Inconel 718 experiments were conducted with a sialon ceramic tool to investigate chip evolution, cutting force, and tool wear at different cutting speeds. Round inserts were used at ultra-high-speeds under dry cutting conditions. A scanning electron microscopy and an optical microscope were used to observe the worn surfaces and to reveal the wear mechanisms of the inserts. The experiment results showed that the macroscopic shape of the chips was small scraps and fan-shaped. With the increase in the cutting speed, the plastic deformation of the chips was increasingly serious. The minimal average cutting forces were obtained at v_c = 700 m/min. The rise of cutting temperature was resulted from the increase in cutting deformation work and friction work with cutting speed. The combined effect of thermal stress and mechanical stress contributed to the tool chipping, flaking, microcrack propagation, abrasion, and adhesion which were the primary reasons of the sialon ceramic tool wear.

Keywords:

• Ceramics
• Failure
• Forces
• Machinability
• Milling
• Speed
• Super alloys
• Wear