Cutting performance of a binder-less sintered cubic boron nitride tool in the high-speed milling of gray cast iron

In the present investigation, the improvement of processing efficiency in the high-speed milling of gray cast iron is explored. The cutting performance and wear mechanism of a binder-less PcBN tool in practical milling is investigated. The tool life of the binder-less PcBN tool at a cutting speed of 33.3 m/s is improved remarkably as compared with that of the usual PcBN tool. Although the occurrence of the thermal strain crack was confirmed after a short cutting length with the usual PcBN tool, a thermal crack of the binder-less PcBN tool could not be observed at 60 km. It was clarified that the binder-less PcBN tool can improve tool life in high-speed milling. Also, the edge shape of the binder-less PcBN tool remains sharp in comparison with that of the usual PcBN tool, and an excellent low degree of roughness of the machined surface was obtained.