Investigation on Influence of Coolant Strategy on the Surface Roughness During Milling of Ti-6Al-4V Alloy Plate

Abstract

Ti-6Al-4V (Ti grade 5) alloy finds salient applications in aerospace and automotive industries. But milling of thin Ti-6Al-4V plates is a challenging process due to its high strength and low thermal conductivity. In the present work, Ti-6Al-4V plates have been end milled using two distinct coolants—soluble oil based and Servo Cut and the corresponding surface roughness values have been compared.Titanium plates were milled using a coated carbide tool. The milling parameters such as cutting speed, feed rate, and depth of cut were kept same for both coolant types to ensure a fair comparison. After the milling process, the surface roughness values of the specimens were measured and the results were analysed and compared using two-way Latin Square Design. Also, the specimen flatness was evaluated before and after milling process using an appropriate method. The influence of the coolant on the flatness of the titanium thin plates was studied. The flatness analysis gives idea about the modifications or deformations brought on by the milling process, while the surface roughness data will aid in assessing the quality of the milled surfaces.