Cutting temperature, tool wear, surface roughness and dimensional deviation in turning AISI-4037 steel under cryogenic condition

Machining of steel inherently generates high cutting temperature, which not only reduces tool life but also impairs the product quality. Conventional cutting fluids are ineffective in controlling the high cutting temperature and rapid tool wear. Further, they also deteriorate the working environment and lead to general environmental pollution. Cryogenic cooling is an environment friendly clean technology for desirable control of cutting temperature. The present work deals with experimental investigation in the role of cryogenic cooling by liquid nitrogen jet on cutting temperature, tool wear, surface finish and dimensional deviation in turning of AISI-4037 steel at industrial speed-feed combination by coated carbide insert. The results have been compared with dry machining and machining with soluble oil as coolant. The results of the present work indicate substantial benefit of cryogenic cooling on tool life, surface finish and dimensional deviation. This may be attributed mainly to the reduction in cutting zone temperature and favorable change in the chip-tool interaction. Further it was evident that machining with soluble oil cooling failed to provide any significant improvement in tool life, rather surface finish deteriorated. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.