Development of self-propolled rotary turning tool for high performance machining (material removal)

In machining (material removal) processes, cutting tool, workpiece and occurred chip are interacted converting mechanical energy into thermal energy especially in turning of hardened steels, titanium and nickel–based alloys. As a result of this, heat on cutting tool increases and tool wear occurs. Wear on cutting tool adversely affects tool life as well as machined surface quality. Different methods have been used to minimize the decrease of heat generation on cutting tool. The application of cutting fluids has another reason to decrease heat generation. In some cases, cutting fluids cannot penetrate into cutting tool-chip interface. Moreover, the usage of cutting fluids decreases due to adverse effect on environment and human health. As another solution method, it was considered to cool cutting edge of cutting tool naturally by continuous changing of cutting edge in contact region between cutting tool and chip during machining (material removal) operation. This allows the application of self-propelled rotary tips or circular-profiled rotary rounded cutting tools are started for continuous cutting. It has been observed that tool wears are reduced and tool life is increased by these cutting tools. Self-propelled rotary cutting tools provide various benefits. These cutting tools provide an increase tool life and obtaining lower cutting temperatures. These cutting tools have also facilitated the machining of difficult-to-cut materials. Higher material removal rates can be achieved during machining (material removal) operations. A better understanding of cutting process in self-propelled rotary rounded cutting tools will provide benefits of selecting tool geometry and machining parameters, an contribute to the productivity improvements in manufacturing industry. In this study, brief information about machining (material removal) and cutting tool is firstly presented, and then general principles of self-propelled rotary rounded cutting tools, benefits (advantages) mechanics, application areas have been provided, and previous studies of the self-propelled rotary rounded cutting tool which is the subject of this study, have been examined. Primarily, the self-propelled rotary rounded cutting tool has been designed. The performance of cutting tool has been examined analyzing stress and deformation of designed cutting tool by Ansys finite element programme. It was observed that the results of cutting tool strength analyzing have been sufficient for predicting machining conditions. After providing a high performance cutting tool design, the cutting tool has been manufactured in TAKIMSAŞ Com. Cutting forces and surface roughness values have been measured for three different workpiece materials by using parameters of cutting speed, feed, depths of cut and tilt angle in CNC lathe. Cutting parameters have been determined by the orthogonal Taguchi L9 experimental design, which parameters are effective on cutting forces and surface roughness have been found by Taguchi method. The relation between chip volume and cutting forces has been investigated. It was observed that there are similar characteristics in chip volume and cutting forces. Chip breaking has been examined for three different workpiece materials. It was observed that chip breaking has been acceptable shapes of broken chips by self-propelled rotary rounded cutting tools. As a result, an advanced self-propelled rotary rounded cutting tool has provided higher performance comparing to similar cutting tools mentioned in literature, and it was also seen that it is suitable using higher depths of cut in machining applications.