Experimental investigation of top burr formation in high-speed micro-end milling of titanium alloy

ABSTRACT

Superalloys with burr-free parts are most preferably used in biomedical, aerospace, marine and automotive applications. In order to reduce the global pollution content, industries strive to execute stringent green manufacturing technologies. There is a need to investigate the different available tools in high-speed micro-milling process to achieve desired burr free with good surface finish on super alloys without using traditional coolants. In machining of titanium and its alloys, because of low thermal conductivity and reactivity with tool materials instigate the burr formation on work material and lowers the tool performance. The main objective of this article is to investigate the top burr formation in high-speed micro-end milling of alpha + beta-titanium alloy-grade 23 ELI (Ti-6Al-4V) under dry cutting conditions using Uncoated and physical vapor deposition coated AlTiN, TiAlN tungsten carbide end mills. Machining performance of the three cutting tools was compared. From the comparison of cutting tools for machining titanium alloy-grade 23, it is found that coated TiAlN tools produce less burr formation than coated AlTiN and uncoated tungsten carbide tools.

KEYWORDS:

• PVD-coated and -uncoated tungsten carbide tools
• high-speed micro-end milling
• titanium alloys
• burr formation

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the support offered by Professor Ramesh Kumar Singh, Machine Tools Lab, Mechanical Engineering Department, IIT Mumbai, Maharashtra, India in providing all the facilities for conducting the research work. The authors thank Technician Mr Sagar Jagtap at Sophisticated Instrumentation Centre at SVNIT, Surat.

Additional information

Funding

This research program is financially supported under Approval Note No.368. MED/Institute Annual Grant provided by the Mechanical Engineering Department, SVNIT, Surat. Gujarat, India.