Analysis of surface roughness and hardness in titanium alloy machining with polycrystalline diamond tool under different lubricating modes

The present work deals with the investigation on machining of difficult-to-machine material titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) using poly crystalline diamond (PCD) tool under different coolant strategies, namely dry, flooded and MQL. Taguchi technique has been employed and the optimization results indicated that MQL lubricating mode with cutting speed of 150 m/min, feed rate of 0.15 mm/rev, nose radius of 0.6 mm and 0.25 mm depth of cut is necessary to minimize surface roughness and dry mode with cutting speed of 150 m/min, feed rate of 0.15 mm/rev, nose radius of 0.6 mm and 0.75 mm depth of cut is necessary to maximize surface hardness. The results indicate the substantial benefit of the minimum quantity of lubrication (MQL) and justify PCD inserts to be the most functionally satisfactory commercially available cutting tool material for machining titanium alloys for better surface finish and hardness.