Machining Performance and Tool Wear of Coated Carbide Inserts in High Speed Turning Powder Metallurgy Nickel-base Superalloy

High speed turning experiments on powder metallurgy (PM) nickel-base superalloy, were conducted using coated carbide inserts under various speeds and dry cutting condition. Wear in ages of cutting tools was observed by SEM, adhesion and oxygen element distribution of tool surface was analyzed by EDS. Experimental results indicate that under the conditions, adhesive wear, oxidation wear and abrasiver wear were the main wear mechanisms of the coated carbide tools. Infrared thermometer was used to measure cutting temperature, and a Kistler dynamometer was used for determining forces on the cutting tools. Tool performance was evaluated with respect to tool wear, cutting temperature and forces generated during turning, surface finish produced. The results might be helpful to guiding the selection and design of tool materials and control of tool wear in high speed machining PM superalloy.