Multi-textured Cutting Tools to Enhance the Machinability of Inconel-718

Inconel 718 is an austenitic Ni-based superalloy known for its wide aerospace components industries. It is structured as face-centered cubic precipitation (γ′) and strengthened by body-centered tetragonal (γ″), resulting in exhibiting high yield strength even at very high temperatures. However, the machining of Inconel 718 has been a challenging task, and extensive research has been done in the past decade to improve the machinability of Inconel 718 and observed that texturing of cutting tools manifests a significant role in this. Most of these works are focused on either groove or dimple rake face textured tools. However, multi-textured tools, i.e., a combination of grooves and dimples on the rake and flank faces, may exceptionally lift up the dry condition machinability of Inconel 718. Hence, a comparative study on the impact of non-textured (NT) and multi-textured (HT) tools is presented here for a set of other constant parameters such as cutting speed, feed rate, and depth of cut. The prominent machinability terms like cutting force, tool wear, and surface roughness were analyzed for dry-machined Inconel 718 samples. It is observed that the multi-textured tool could improve the cutting force and surface finish by 14 and 21% as compared to the NT tool. Wear mechanisms were analyzed for both NT and HT tools.