Effect of symmetrical conical micro-grooved texture on tool–chip friction property of WC-TiC/Co cemented carbide tools

Surface texturing has been an attracting interest in metal cutting fields because of their tribological improvement at the tool–chip interface. A novel symmetric conical micro-grooved texture (S-5) was proposed and manufactured on the tool rake face using laser texture technology. The improvement effect of surface texturing (S-5) on tool–chip friction property was tested with AISI 1045 steel cutting experiment for various cutting speeds (80 to 160 m/min) under flood lubrication condition. Meanwhile, cutting performance of S-5 were evaluated against parallel micro-grooved texture tools (P-0) for a better clarification of the interaction mechanism. Experimental results indicated that surface texturing (P-0, S-5) on tool rake face all successfully resulted in a reduced cutting force, tool–chip friction coefficient, and tool surface wear than conventional tools (C-0). Moreover, S-5 showed a more obvious advantage in the improvement of tool–chip interfacial friction property than P-0.When cutting speed was smaller than 120 m/min, the friction coefficient obtained with the conventional (C-0) and textured tools (P-0, S-5) all showed a downward trend, and a smallest friction coefficient was appeared for S-5. When the cutting speed was greater than 120 m/min, an upward trend of friction coefficient was obtained for the C-0 and P-0 tools. However, a downward trend of friction coefficient was still existed for S-5. Detailed research indicated that the symmetric conical micro-grooved texture on the tool rake face could accelerate the infiltration speed of cutting fluid at the tool–chip interface. More cutting fluid would be supplied and stored at the tool–chip interface. So, symmetric conical micro-grooved texture on the tool rake face had a best lubrication effect of cutting fluid than conventional (C-0) and parallel micro-grooved texture tools (P-0).