Experimental investigation to study the performance of solid lubricants in turning of AISI1040 steel

Machining is one of the most fundamental and indispensable processes of the manufacturing industry. The heat generated in the cutting zone during machining is critical in deciding the workpiece quality. Though cutting fluids are widely employed to carry away the heat in machining, their usage poses threat to ecology and the health of workers. Hence, there arises a need to identify eco-friendly and user-friendly alternatives to conventional cutting fluids. Modern tribology has facilitated the use of solid lubricants. The present work features a specific study of the application of solid lubricants in turning of AISI1040 steel with carbide tool. Results show considerable improvement in reducing the cutting forces, coefficient of friction between chip and tool interface, average tool flank wear, and the surface roughness of the machined surface with solid lubricants. Among the selected lubricating conditions boric acid performed well compared to graphite. Chip thickness ratio is also evaluated to study the lubricating action of selected solid lubricants during turning.