Development of a microstructured surface using the FIB

Imparting periodic structures to a surface can make surfaces suitable for a specific functional performance in a variety of fields such as optical, electrical, biological and mechanical sciences. In this article, microstructures are fabricated on a cemented carbide tool using a focused ion beam (FIB) with the aim to reduce the cutting forces in a turning operation. The effects of FIB process parameters on the fabricated structures are analysed. The microtextured cemented carbide tool is utilized for the machining of an aluminium alloy. Compared to a non-textured tool, microtextured tool exhibited reduced cutting forces by 28% while machining. The microtextured tool reduces the friction between the chip–tool interfaces by reducing the chip–tool contact length.