The exceptional properties of Heat Resistant Super Alloys (HRSA) justify the search for advanced technologiesthat can improve the capability of machining these materials. One such advanced technology is the applicationof a coolant at high pressure while machining, a strategic solution known for at least six decades. The aim is toachieve extended tool life, better chip control and improved surface finish. Another aim is to control the temperature in the workpiece/tool interface targeting for optimum cutting conditions. In most of the existing applications with high-pressure coolant media, the nozzles are positioned on the rake face side of the insert andthey are directed towards the cutting edge (the high-temperature area). The coolant is applied at high-pressureto improve the penetration of the cooling media along the cutting edge in the interface between the insert andworkpiece material (chip) as well as to increase chip breakability. However, the corresponding infusion ofcoolant media in the interface between the flank face of the insert and the work material (tertiary shear zone) hasbeen previously only scarcely addressed, as is the combined effect of coolant applications on rake and clearancesides of the insert. The present work addresses the influence of different pressure conditions in (flank: 0, 4 and8 MPa; rake: 8 and 16 MPa) on maximum flank wear, flank wear area, tool wear mechanism, and overall processperformance. Round uncoated inserts are used in a set of face turning experiments, conducted on the widely usedHRSA "Alloy 718" and run in two condition tests with respect to cutting speed (45 (low) and 90 (high) m/min).The results show that an increase in rake pressure from 8 to 16 MPa has certainly a positive impact on tool life.Furthermore, at higher vc of 90 m/min, cutting edge deterioration: due to an extensive abrasion and crack in thewear zone were the dominant wear mechanism. Nevertheless, the increase in coolant pressure condition to16 MPa reduced the amount of abrasion on the tool compared to 8 MPa. At the lower cutting speed, no crack orplastic deformation or extensive abrasion were found. When using 8 MPa pressure of coolant media on the flank,the wear was reduced by 20% compared to flood cooling conditions. Application of high-pressure cooling on theflank face has a positive effect on tool life and overall machining performance of Alloy 718.

The critical problems faced during the machining process of heat resistant superalloys, (HRSA), is the concentration of heat in the cutting zone and the difficulty in dissipating it. The concentrated heat in the cutting zone has a negative influence on the tool life and surface quality of the machined surface, which in turn, contributes to higher manufacturing costs. This paper investigates improved heat dissipation from the cutting zone on the tool wear through surface features on the cutting tools. Firstly, the objective was to increase the available surface area in high temperature regions of the cutting tool. Secondly, multiple surface features were fabricated for the purpose of acting as channels in the rake face to create better access for the coolant to the proximity of the cutting edge. The purpose was thereby to improve the cooling of the cutting edge itself, which exhibits the highest temperature during machining. These modified inserts were experimentally investigated in face turning of Alloy 718 with high-pressure coolant. Overall results exhibited that surface featured inserts decreased flank wear, abrasion of the flank face, cutting edge deterioration and crater wear probably due to better heat dissipation from the cutting zone.

There is an increasing demand to improve the service life of cutting tools during machining of heat resistant superalloys (HRSA). Various studies showed that textured cutting tools improved the tribological properties and reduced cutting forces, temperature, and tool wear. Surface texturing can be seen as a futuristic design to improve the performance of the cutting tool and to increase productivity. However, only limited research has been conducted in machining superalloys with textured inserts and high-pressure coolant. In this work, three different micro texture designs on both rake and flank face are investigated in combination with high-pressure coolant in machining Alloy 718. Due to better tool life predictability, carbide cutting tools are used in machining components made from superalloys. However, the disadvantage is that machining can only be done at lower cutting speed/feed rate/depth of cut with high tool wear rates. The experimental investigation using different tool wear analysis methods showed that the combination of a cylindrical dimple on the rake and the square pyramid texture on the flank surface improved the wear resistance of the tool. An increase in tool life of about 30% was achieved as compared with a regular insert for the investigated cutting conditions. Different levels of adhering workpiece material were observed on the rake face of textured tools. Furthermore, the chip backside showed imprints from the tool textures. The tool textures on the rake face have influenced the tool-chip friction conditions during cutting.

There has been extensive research on forced coolant application, usually known as high pressure coolant, in machining heat resistant super alloys. This technology has shown to improve the tool life, chip segmentation, surface integrity and reduce the temperature in the cutting zone. A number of studies have been done on hydraulic parameters of the coolant. This study has been focused on residues on the flank face of the insert and residual stress on the workpiece surface generated by regular and modified cutting inserts. To identify any residual elements, analysis were done by energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer, EDS, on regular as well as modified inserts in combination with forced coolant application on both rake and flank face. The investigations have shown that the temperature gradient in the insert has changed between the regular and modified cutting inserts and that the tool wear and surface roughness is significantly affected by the modified cutting tool.

In the present study, the tool wear mechanisms of uncoated cemented tungsten carbide (WC-Co) tools during machining Alloy 718 with high-pressure coolant supply are investigated. Worn flank faces are analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). With increasing spiral cutting length, larger areas on the tool surface are subjected to erosion of Co-binder by the coolant jet impact. Moreover, the amount and morphology of workpiece-precipitates adhered on worn flank surfaces are influenced significantly by the extent of flank wear land (due to increasing spiral cutting length). The reasons for the obtained results are addressed with respect to the underlying mechanisms. Possible implications for the tool wear behavior are discussed.

In recent years, research interest in liquid coolant media applied to the tool–workpiece interface (the tertiary shear zone) has grown considerably. In particular, attention has increased for work where the media has been applied under high-pressure. This is most likely triggered by the positive results reported on similar applications, but with coolant media directed towards the rake face of the cutting tool (the secondary shear zone). The most typical applications have not surprisingly been related to the machining of Heat Resistant Super Alloys (HRSA) or other “difficult to machine” alloys where the main intention has been to extend tool life and improve surface finish through reduced shear zone temperatures. Concurrently, these achievements have revealed a knowledge gap and unlocked a new research area in understanding the effects and influences of coolant media applied on super-heated surfaces under high-pressure conditions. The aim of this study is to investigate the “coolant boiling and cavitation” phenomena that emerges during the application of coolant under high-pressure to the flank face of an uncoated WC tool while turning Alloy 718. The experimental campaign was conducted in three aspects: varying flank (coolant media) pressure; varying spiral cutting length (SCL); and varying cutting speed. The results revealed that the location and size of the coolant-boiling region correlated with flank wear, coolant pressure and vapour pressure of the coolant at the investigated pressure levels. Further, the results showed that coolant applied with a lower pressure than the vapour pressure of the coolant itself caused the “Leidenfrost” effect. This then acts as a coolant media barrier and effectively reduces the heat transport from the cutting zone. Further, erosion pits were observed on small areas of the cutting tool, resembling the typical signs of cavitation (usually found in much different applications such as pumps and propellers). The discovered wear mechanism denoted as “Cavitation Wear” was used as base for the discussion aimed to deepen the understanding of the conditions close to the sliding interface between the tool and the workpiece. Even though “Cavitation Wear” has been widely reported in hydraulic systems like pumps and water turbines, it is a new phenomenon to be seen on cutting tools while using high-pressure flank cooling. © 2020 The Authors