Comparative evaluation of hole making processes in magnesium alloy AZ31 under dry machining condition

Hole making is an important process in manufacturing industries. Usually conventional drilling process is used for making holes. However recently a newer hole making process has gained importance due to several advantages it possesses. In this work, a comparative evaluation between conventional drilling with the newer helical milling process for making holes in Magnesium alloy AZ31 has been carried out. The two processes were analyzed considering the cutting forces, surface roughness, hole diameter and cutting temperature. In addition, the formation of burrs and chip morphology were studied. The hole quality in terms of diametrical accuracy and surface finish was found to be better when helical hole milling process was used. The generated cutting forces and temperature were found to be lower when holes were generated using helical milling process. The chips produced during the hole milling process were smaller which helped in easy evacuation as compared to drilling process. The results show that the helical hole milling process is a promising alternative for conventional hole drilling process.