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Abstract
Application of polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) tools as an alternative for ceramic and cemented carbide tools in machining superalloys has been frequently identified as a solution for enhancing process efficiency but only a limited number of studies has been done in this area. The current study explores the effect of the cutting speed, which was varied in a wide range (2–14 m/s), on machinability of age hardened Inconel 718 with PCBN tools. Performance of binderless PCBN grade and grade with low-cBN content was evaluated in terms of tool life, tool wear, cutting forces and surface quality. Chip formation and process dynamics were analyzed as well. It was found that low-cBN grade provided 70–90% better surface finish and tool life than the binderless at moderate speeds (5–8 m/s). Performance of both grades at low and high speed ranges was non-satisfactory due to notching and flaking respectively. At low cutting speed adhesive wear plays a major role while as the speed increases a chemical wear becomes dominant.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This work has been done as a part of the research project ShortCut, SSF/ProViking as well as a part of the Sustainable Production Initiative (SPI). Thanks are due to SECO TOOLS AB, Sweden and Prof. I. A. Petrusha and Prof. V. Z. Turkevich from Institute of Superhard Materials, Ukraine for fruitful discussion and the support with the tooling. One of the authors wishes to acknowledge research scholarship granted by Swedish Institute.