Last modified: 2014-06-26
Abstract
Manufacturing processes carried out on modern machine tools are still energy and resourceintensive. In order to comply with future sustainability legislations and standards theseprocesses should become more energy and resource efficient. The strategic objective of companies still remains to increase the production throughput rate, reduce the inventory and operating costs while keeping the products within the quality constraints of the voice of the customer. Increasing the material removal rates (MRR) will influence the energy efficiency, tool failure rate and the work piece’s surface integrity. Thus, a better understanding of the effects cutting mechanisms have on energy efficiency during high speed machining (HSM) are gaining interest. In this research study the effect of various cutting conditions on surface integrity, tool wear and energy efficiency were investigated.Cutting speed and feed rate were varied while the depth of cut was kept constant during theturning of Ti6Al4V under flood lubrication. Tool wear and surface roughness both deteriorated with an increase in the material removal rate. It was also found that worn cutting tools produced a higher work piece surface hardness than a new tool. The energy usage for a specific cutting distance also decreased with an increase in material removal rate. Future work is also outlined.