Journal of Materials Processing Technology 164165 (2005) 862867

Study of tool wear and surface roughness in machining of homogenised SiC-p reinforced aluminium metal matrix composite
E. Klc kap a, , O. C akr a , M. Aksoy b , A. Inan c
b a Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dicle University, 21280 Diyarbakir, Turkey Department of Metallurgical and Material Engineering, Firat University, 23119 Elazig, Turkey c Department of Mechanical Engineering, Firat University, 23119 Elazig, Turkey

Abstract Metal matrix composites (MMC) have become a large leading material in composite materials and particle reinforced aluminium MMCs have received considerable attention due to their excellent engineering properties. These materials are known as the difcult-to-machine materials, because of the hardness and abrasive nature of reinforcement element like silicon carbide (SiC) particles. In this study, homogenised 5% SiC-p aluminium MMC material was selected for experimental investigation of tool wear and surface roughness. Two types of K10 cutting tool (uncoated and TiN-coated) were used at different cutting speeds (50, 100 and 150 m/min), feed rates (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mm/rev) and depths of cut (0.5, 1 and 1.5 mm). In dry turning condition, tool wear was mainly affected by cutting speed, increased with increasing cutting speed. Tool wear was lower when coated cutting tool was used in comparison to uncoated one. Surface roughness inuenced with cutting speed and feed rate. Higher cutting speeds and lower feed rates produced better surface quality. 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Metal matrix composites; Machining; Tool wear; Surface roughness

1. Introduction Composite materials are named as the materials of the future in 1970s when they have been introduced in engineering applications [1]. Metal matrix composites (MMC) are widely used composite materials in aerospace, automotive, electronics and medical industries. They have outstanding properties like high strength, low weight, high modules, low ductility, high wear resistance, high thermal conductivity and low thermal expansion. These desired properties are mainly manipulated by the matrix, the reinforcement element and the interface [1,2]. As the matrix element, aluminium, titanium and magnesium alloy are used, while the popular reinforcements are silicon carbide (SiC) and alumina (Al2 O3 ). Aluminium-based SiC particle reinforced MMC materials have become useful engineering materials due to their properties such as low weight, heat-resistant, wear-resistant and low cost [3].
Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: erolk@dicle.edu.tr (E. Klc kap), ocakir@dicle.edu.tr (O. C akr). 0924-0136/$ see front matter 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2005.02.109

The main problem, in case of 5% SiC-p Al-MMC machining, is that it is known as the difcult-to-machine material, because of the existence of hard abrasive reinforcement particles are harder than cutting tool worn rapidly during machining of these materials: the main tool wear mechanism in the machining of this type material is abrasion on the ank face. There has been no proof of chemical wear [4]. There have been number of studies in machining of SiC-p Al-MMC, but based on the machining 5% SiC-p Al-MMC, few studies were conducted. Li and Seah [5] investigated machining properties of 5% SiC-p Al-MMC material using coated carbide cutting tool in turning operation. They applied various cutting speed (maximum was 88 m/min) and concluded that increasing cutting speed raised tool wear. They also noticed abrasion wear on ank face of the tool. Klc kap et al. [6] examined the same material in turning. They concluded that the built-up edge formation occurred at low cutting speed and this provided lower cutting tool wear. Tool wear increased with increasing cutting speed. They also noticed abrasion type wear mechanism. Cutting speed seemed the most inuential machining parameter on

E. Kl ckap et al. / Journal of Materials Processing Technology 164165 (2005) 862867

863

tool life and surface quality. Coating provided better results like longer tool life and better surface nish. The other study was carried out by Lin et al. The effects of material properties on tool wear and surface roughness in machining of 5% SiC-p Al-MMC examined. The effect of heat-treated and type of heat treatments of the material were decreased tool life and increased surface roughness [7]. In summary, early studies provided limited information on the effects of machining parameters on tool wear and surface roughness for 5% SiC-p Al-MMC. The most inuential machining parameter on tool wear and surface roughness was cutting speed. The feed rate was also effective on surface roughness. The heat treatment was negatively affecting tool wear and surface nish. The present experimental study aimed to examine the selected machining parameters on tool wear and surface roughness in the machining of homogenised 5% SiC-p Al-MMC material. The inuences of cutting speed, feed rate, depth of cut, uncoated and coated cutting tool were determined on tool wear and surface nish. The selected cutting tool was K10 grade. The turning process carried out as dry machining.

Table 2 Selected machining conditions Cutting tool Cutting speed (m/min) Feed rate (mm/rev) Depth of cut (mm) Cutting medium Cutting period (s) Uncoated and TiN-coated K10 50, 100 and 150 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 0.5, 1 and 1.5 Dry 90

Average ank wear (VB) was taken as tool wear criteria and the measurements of it were conducted by using Nikon Epiphot 200 optical microscope. For surface roughness measurements, Taylor-Hobson Surtronic 3+ equipment was used. The measurements of tool wear and surface roughness (Ra) were carried out at regular intervals during 90 s machining period. Each experiment repeated three times and three measurements of tool wear and surface roughness were taken from each experiment and the averages of tool wear and surface roughness were obtained.

3. Results and discussion 2. Experimental The selected experimental material was manufactured by squeeze casting process. As the matrix materials 99.9% pure aluminium was used, while 5 wt.% SiC particles with an average size of 24 m were applied as the reinforcement element. The specimens were in bar shapes of 90 mm diameter and 150 mm length. The chemical composition of specimen was given in Table 1. This material later homogenised at 550 C for 5 h and than soaked in the water until cooled down. After homogenisation process, the hardness of material was 86 HB, which was 87 HB before. Turning method as machining process was selected. The experimental study carried out in MKE brand lathe machine (6.5 kW power). The selected cutting tool was titanium carbide K10 grade (ISO code), which was generally recommended for machining of MMC materials. The ISO codes of cutting tool and tool holder were TNMA 160408 and PTGNR/L 2525 M16, respectively. The selected machining parameters were given in Table 2. The machining process was conducted as dry and completed after 90 s turning period.
Table 1 Chemical composition of experimental material (%) Si Mg Fe Mn Zn Ni Co Cu Ti Al 7 2 0.54 0.38 0.11 0.074 0.116 0.13 0.086 Balanced

The inuence of selected cutting speeds on tool wear was determined. Fig. 1ac shows the results of tool wear in various cutting speeds. It was observed that increasing cutting speed produced a faster tool wear. When cutting speed increased from 50 to 150 m/min, tool wear value doubled. This is similar to machining any material that the cutting tool worn faster with using higher cutting speed. The effect of coating on tool produced better tool wear results (Fig. 1ac). In all cutting speed values, TiN-coated K10 grade tool provided a lower tool wear in comparison to uncoated one. The coating of cutting tool helped in reducing wear on the ank face. This is because of coating cutting tool that made tool surface harder than normal surface. The effect of feed was examined. At low cutting speed, the effect of feed on tool wear was very little; tool wear was slightly higher when higher feeds were used. The inuence of feed was obvious at higher cutting speed, higher feed increased tool wear (Fig. 2ac). The effect of coating on tool provided positive result like the effect of cutting speed on tool wear, uncoated cutting tool worn faster. The effect of depth of cut on tool wear was given in Fig. 3ac. It was noticed that increase in depth of cut slightly increased tool wear and similar trends observed at all machining conditions. The examination of machined surface quality was conducted at the selected machining conditions. It was noticed that the cutting speed and feed rate were the inuential machining parameters on the surface roughness. The effect of depth of cut was little. The inuence of cutting speed on surface roughness was given in Fig. 4ac. The use of low cutting speed produced a better surface nish in all machining conditions. It was noticed that the coating played important role on surface qual-

864

E. Kl ckap et al. / Journal of Materials Processing Technology 164165 (2005) 862867

Fig. 1. The effect of cutting speed on tool wear.

Fig. 2. The inuence of feed rate on tool wear.

E. Kl ckap et al. / Journal of Materials Processing Technology 164165 (2005) 862867

865

Fig. 3. The effect of depth of cut on tool wear. Fig. 4. The effect of cutting speed on surface roughness.

866

E. Kl ckap et al. / Journal of Materials Processing Technology 164165 (2005) 862867

Fig. 5. The effect of feed rates on surface roughness.

Fig. 6. The effects of depth of cut on surface roughness.

E. Kl ckap et al. / Journal of Materials Processing Technology 164165 (2005) 862867

867

ity; the coated cutting tool provided a lower surface roughness. The minimum surface roughness value was 3 m when 0.1 mm/rev feed rate at any depth of cut. For this machining condition, the surface roughness trend was almost straight. The experimental results of feed rates effect on surface roughness were shown in Fig. 5ac. The surface roughness increased with using higher feed rates in all machining conditions. This was attributed to high temperature in the cutting zone. Higher feed values increases temperature and this cause to decrease bonding effect between SiC-p and Almatrix. Aluminium softens and SiC particles are broken [8]. It was observed that the effect of coating was clear; provided lower surface roughness. The inuence of feed rate on surface roughness affected with cutting speed, but the application of the highest cutting speed with the fastest feed rate provided little change. However, the trend was similar. The inuences of depths of cut on surface nish were investigated and the results were given in Fig. 6ac. It was noticed that depth of cut was the least inuential machining parameter on surface roughness. The surface roughness trends were nearly straight line. However, the coated cutting tool performed positively; surface quality increased with using coated cutting tool. The best surface roughness value was 3 m with coated cutting tool with the highest cutting speed in all feed rates and depths of cut.

g. Feed rate was an effective machining parameter on surface roughness. Higher feed rates produced poor surface quality. h. The effect of depth of etch was very little, even not inuential. i. TiN-coated cutting tool provided better results; it decreased tool wear and provided smoother surface nish. j. The inuence of heat treatment of this material like homogenised process affected badly, it increased tool wear and surface roughness compared to not heat treatment application of the material. As a result, the recommended machining conditions for homogenised 5% SiC-p Al-MMC material would be the selection of low cutting speed with high feed rate and depth of cut for rough and medium turning process with coated carbide cutting tool to obtain longer tool life, and high cutting speed with low feed rate at any depth of cut with coated cutting tool for nish machining to produce better surface nish.

Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank Dr. Ali Kalkanli (Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey) for preparation of specimens and Mr. Tahsin Alsan (B ohler Hard Metal and Tool Com., Istanbul, Turkey) for providing cutting tools.

4. Conclusion The tool wear and surface roughness results of the experimental study of the machining of homogenised 5% SiC-p Al-MMC material with TiN-coated and uncoated K10 grade cutting tool indicated the following conclusions: a. Tool wear occurred on the ank face of the cutting tool. The tool wear mechanism was abrasion. There was no sign of the chemical wear. b. The build-up edge formation was unseen. This formation was observed when machining of directly casted material type of Al-MMC. c. Cutting speed was the most inuential machining parameter on tool wear. It increased tool wear with increasing. The tool wear doubled when cutting speed was 150 m/min compared to 50 m/min. d. The effect of feed rate was the second inuential machining parameter. Higher feed rates produced a higher tool wear. e. The inuence of depth of cut was limited, it slightly increased tool wear when higher depth of cut was used. f. Surface roughness again mostly affected with cutting speed. Higher cutting speed produced better surface nish.

References
[1] J.F. Foltz, C.M. Blackman, Metal matrix composites, Adv. Mater. Process. 154 (1997) 1924. [2] G. Lubin, Handbook of Composites, Van Nostrand Reinhold Com., New York, USA, 1982. [3] N.P. Hung, K.J. Ng, K.W. Low, Review on conventional machining of metal matrix composites, in: Engineering Systems Design and Analysis, vol. 75, No. 3, 1996, pp. 7580. [4] M. El-Gallab, M. Sklad, Machining of Al/SiC particulate metal matrix composites. Part 1. Tool performance, J. Mater. Process. Technol. 83 (1998) 151158. [5] X. Li, W.K.H. Seah, Tool acceleration in relation to workpiece reinforcement percentage in cutting of metal matrix composites, Wear 247 (2001) 161171. [6] E. Klc kap, O. C akr, A. Inan, Investigation of tool wear and surface roughness in turning of metal matrix composites, in: Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Advanced Manufacturing Technology (ICAMT 2004), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2004, pp. 5559. [7] C.B. Lin, Y.W. Hung, W.-C. Liu, S.-W. Kang, Machinability and uidity of 356Al/SiC(p) composites, J. Mater. Process. Technol. 110 (2001) 152159. [8] N. Tomac, K. Tonnessen, Machinability of particulate aluminium matrix composites, Ann. CIRP 41 (1992) 5558.