An experimental study on the effect of high-pressure coolant on chip fragmentation during the turning of stainless steel

The high-pressure coolant is considered as a very important point to improve the machining performance. Most of the papers concern the effect of high-pressure coolant on titanium where its efficiency is very important. This paper investigates the application of a high-pressure lubricant during the turning of stainless steel using coated carbide tools to control the chip size through an extensive experimental work. The effects of the cutting conditions, the cutting tool geometries, and the lubricant pressure were studied. A model was developed to clearly understand the mechanical effects of a lubricant on the chip fragmentation. This model is partially based on a Maln experimental analysis in which a high-speed camera was used to define the jet geometry. Finally, the relationship between the cutting conditions and the pressure is meticulously described.