Measurement of machining characteristics under novel dry ice blasting cooling assisted milling of AISI 52100 tool steel

AISI52100 tool steel is commonly used for under high temperature and fatigue applications owing to superior tensile strength, corrosion resistance, and stiffness, Therefore, it is called difficult-to-cut material. In this work, a novel application of dry ice blasting as a cooling technology in milling AISI52100 tool steel is proposed to measure the cutting temperature, surface hardness, cutting forces, residual stresses, surface roughness, and tool wear and compared to minimum quantity lubrication (MQL). The experiments are performed at varying cutting speeds Vc between 75-300 m/min, feed per tooth fz (0.04-0.12 mm/z), and fixed axial/radial depth of cut. Experimental measurements have shown that dry ice blasting reduced the cutting temperature by 20% compared to MQL. Further, surface roughness is decreased by 7%, surface hardness by 6%, residual stresses by 8%, and 22% prolonged tool life in comparison with MQL. The high level of cutting speed (300 m/min) is favorable to achieving appropriate machining characteristics. In a nutshell, interesting results of machinability under dry ice blasting present it as a sustainable alternative technology for the advancement of the manufacturing sector.

Automated summary

This study proposes a new cooling technology, dry ice blasting, for milling AISI52100 tool steel. The experimental results show that dry ice blasting significantly reduces cutting temperature, improves surface properties, and increases tool life.