Measurement of Cyclic Temperature Change of Tool-Chip Interface in Carbide Fly Milling

Abstract

The tool tip temperature of a face-milling tool in machining a medium carbon steel was investigated by the tool-work thermocouple method, and the effect of the cutting condition, particularly the cutting fluid, the cutter diameter, and the work width on the temperature cycle was studied. For every rotation of the tool, the tool tip temperature builds up abruptly at the start of cut, retains a high level during the cut and is cooled during the non-cutting period. The tool-chip interface temperature during a cut depends mainly on the carbide grade, the cutting speed and the feed. The temperature at the start of the succeeding cut after cooling is also affected by those three factors as well as by the cutting fluids, the cutter diameter and the work width. The tool life date in the past investigations show that the starting temperature affects the tool life of the carbide face-milling tool.