Study of Surface Roughness in CNC Turning of EN8 Steel: An Experimental Approach

The use of precise, automated controls in CNC turning ensures that even the most intricate geometries can be obtained with remarkable accuracy, making them integral to the production of components like shafts, pistons, gears, and a multitude of other cylindrical parts. CNC turning is poised to play an even more critical role in the future of manufacturing and precise product development. Machinability criteria, such as surface roughness, are the deciding factors of the product quality. The selection of process parameters plays an important role in maintaining the product quality. Beforehand, it is of paramount importance to study the effect of process parameters on the response variable. In the present research CNC turning experiment at higher rotational speed has been conducted on EN8 steel bearing three turning parameters, viz. depth of cut (Ap), feed (f), and rotational speed (N). The Taguchi method was used to plan the experiments, which employed an L25 orthogonal array. The response variable was surface roughness (Ra). The results showed that f is the most influencing turning parameter. Ra is influenced only slightly by Ap and N.