Analysis of Roughness and Flank Wear in Turning Gray Cast Iron Using Cryogenically Treated Cutting Tools

The purpose of this research was to examine the flank wear and surface roughness in turning gray cast iron using cryogenically treated carbide inserts. Turning experiments were conducted with cutting velocities: 53, 85, 99, 149 m/sec, feeds: 0.12, 0.16, 0.2, 0.24 mm/rev and a constant depth of cut: 1.5 mm. The specimens were turned using cryogenically treated and non-treated carbide inserts. The cryogenic treatment cycle consisted of cooling the test samples from room temperature to cryogenic temperature of -178.9 C in 3 h, soaking at cryogenic tem perature around 24 h and warming to room temperature in about 5 h. The surface roughness (Ra, R z, Rq and Rt :m) of the turned specimens was measured using talysurf and flank wear of the tool was measured using toolm akers microscope. The experimental layout was designed based on the Taguchi’s Orthogonal Array technique and ANOVA was performed to identify the effect of the parameters on the response variables. Cryogenically treated inserts proved superior to the non-treated in all the test conditions in terms of lesser flank wear of the inserts and reduced surface roughness of the specimens. The after turned inserts w ere examined using Scanning Electron Microscopy for studying the flank wear mechanism.