Machinability of hardened steel using alumina based ceramic cutting tools

Alumina based ceramic cutting tool is an attractive alternative for carbide tools in the machining of steel in its hardened condition. These ceramic cutting tools can machine with high cutting speed and produce good surface finish. The wear mechanism of these ceramic cutting tools should be properly understood for greater utilization. Two types of ceramic cutting tools namely Ti[C,N] mixed alumina ceramic cutting tool and zirconia toughened alumina ceramic cutting tool are used for our investigation. The machinability of hardened steel was evaluated by measurements of tool wear, cutting forces and surface finish of the work piece. These alumina based ceramic cutting tool materials produce good surface finish in the machining of hardened steel. In this paper an attempt is made to analyse the important wear mechanisms like abrasive wear, adhesive wear and diffusion wear of these ceramic cutting tool materials and the performance of these ceramic cutting tools related to the surface finish is also discussed here. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.