Dry machining of aluminum–silicon alloy using polished CVD diamond-coated cutting tools inserts

In this research, we investigated the performance of polished chemical vapor deposited (CVD) diamond tool carbide inserts in comparison with unpolished CVD diamond coated carbide tool inserts in the dry turning of A390 aluminum–silicon hypereutectic alloy. The special emphasis is on exploring the role of machining parameters and cutting tool surface morphology on the aerosol generation. Global demand for high speed machining in combination with environmentally benign methods make diamond coated carbide tools an attractive candidate for dry machining. The results of this research demonstrate that CVD diamond-coated polished tools generate fewer particles, unlike conventional diamond tools (PCD and unpolished CVD), which cause the formation of respirable airborne particles during machining. Further, polished CVD diamond tool inserts improve tool life and reduce the cutting forces. Overall, in an important finding it is shown that polishing of tools provides a better opportunity for an environmentally benign dry machining along with improvement in machining outcome.