Analysis of Machinability During Hard Turning of Cold Work Tool Steel (Type: AISI D2)

Hard turning is an attractive replacement for grinding operations due to numerous advantages such as low capital investment, shorter setup time, higher material removal rate, better surface integrity, and elimination of cutting fluids. As a potential alternative process, there is a need to assess the machinability in high-precision and high-hardened components. The current study establishes the relationships between the cutting conditions (cutting speed, feed rate, and machining time) on machinability aspects (machining force, power, specific cutting force, surface roughness, and tool wear). The response surface methodology-based mathematical models are proposed for modeling and analyzing the effects of process parameters on machinability during turning of high chromium AISI D2 cold work tool steel using CC650WG wiper ceramic inserts. The experiments have been planned as per full factorial design. From the parametric analysis, it is revealed that the power increases with increase in feed rate, while the specific cutting force decreases, whereas the requirement of machining force is low at low values of feed rate and machining time. The response surface analysis also indicates that the surface roughness can be reduced at lower values of feed rate and machining time with higher values of cutting speed, while the maximum tool wear occurs at a cutting speed of 150m/min for all values of feed rate.