Effect of cutting parameters and cutting edge preparation on milling of VP20TS steel

Tool steels, especially those from P series, are important materials for the industry, since the need for mold manufacturing is becoming greater, mainly due to the expansion of the plastic industry. The VP20TS steel is a material applied to the transformation of plastics that has as main alloy elements such as chromium, manganese, molybdenum, and nickel. It is supplied with hardness values in the range of 30 to 34 HRC. Due to its metallurgical characteristics, the machinability of this material can be tough. In this work, the influence of cutting parameters and cutting edge preparation on the milling of VP20TS steel with solid carbide tool will be investigated. To achieve this goal, the tool wear will be monitored using an optical microscopy, the surface roughness of the machined surface, the electrical current of the CNC machine tool motor through Hall effect sensors, and the vibration generated during the process through accelerometers fixed to the workpiece. The results showed that the milling parameters (v(c) and f(z)) had influence on the analyzed output variables (responses) and that, by greater mechanical resistance and smaller roughness of the cutting edge generated, the honing of the cutting edge influences all monitored parameters, causing in general greater stability for the process, less wear of the cutting tool, and better finish of the machined surface.