Tool wear in high-speed face milling of AISI H13 steel

In the present study, high-speed and ultra-high-speed face milling of AISI H13 steel (46-47 HRC) is conducted in order to acquire a thorough understanding of the tool wear evolution process and tool wear mechanisms in high-speed hard milling. According to the variation trend of the tool life with cutting speed, three cutting speed ranges are identified. For different cutting speed ranges, the tool wear evolution process and typical tool wear mechanisms are analyzed and compared. It is found that the cutting speed of 1400 m/min can be considered as a critical value for both the average value of the resultant cutting force and tool life. The analysis of the tool wear mechanisms show that, as the number of cutting speed range increases, on the tool flank face, oxidation wear influences more greatly, while the effect of adhesive wear decreases. In the speed range 1400 m/min < v <= 2400 m/min, the abrupt flaking that occurred on the tool rake face was mainly caused by the increase of tool temperature, mechanical impact and thermal impact.