Some studies on cutting tools and coatings for machining of superalloys under dry and sustainable lubrication environment

ABSTRACTIn recent years, the superalloys such as Inconel, Incoloy and Waspaloy are widely employed in aerospace, nuclear, automobile and marine applications due to their excellent properties. Besides, significant improvements in cutting tools and coatings have been done in recent years, which can be employed in machine superalloys for improving the machining performance. Their high temperature strength and toughness, quick work hardening, low thermal conductivity, tendency to weld onto cutting tools and ability to form built-up edges (BuE) make a challenge to machine nickel-based aerospace superalloys. The phenomena of BuE results in poor surface integrity and rapid tool wear. The selection of appropriate tool & coating material is based on type or grade of nickel alloy, its metallurgical condition and the machining operation to be performed. In this paper, a detailed review is presented to understand the current practices on advanced cutting tools and coating materials, coatings designs and effect of various tool coatings on machining performance. Further, the tool wear mechanism and machining performance under dry and other advanced sustainable environments such as MQL based vegetable oils, supercritical carbon-dioxide and hybrid nanofluids is presented in detail.KEYWORDS: Superalloystool materials and coatingsmachining environmenttool wear mechanism Abbreviations Al2O3=Aluminum OxideCrN=Chromium nitrideCrAlN=Chromium Aluminum NitrideTiN=Titanium NitrideTiC=Titanium CarbideTiAlN=Titanium Aluminum NitrideTiCN=Titanium Carbo-NitrideTiSiN=Titanium Silicon NitrideTiAlSiN=Titanium Aluminum Silicon NitrideTiAlCrN=Titanium Aluminum Chromium NitrideZrN=Zirconium nitrideDisclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationFundingThe authors are thankful to University Grants Commission (UGC), Government of India for award of fellowship (F1-17.1/2017-18/RGNF-2017-18-SC-MAH-34406/(SA-III/Website)) to carry out this work.