Cutting tool wear in turning 316L stainless steel in the conditions of minimized lubrication

316L stainless steel has emerged as one of the most used material in design and manufacturing for automotive, aerospace, marine, civil nuclear to produce critical components (valves, seats, pipes etc.). Despite, their huge application, during the machining of 316L stainless steel numerous challenges arise in terms of tool wear that are very detrimental for the surface of machined part. To obtain an extended life of tool used for machining commonly 316L stainless steel two different methods of cooling based on minimum lubrication condition, namely Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL) method and Minimum Quantity Cooling Lubrication (MQCL) with the addition of extreme pressure and anti-wear (EP/AW) method, respectively were settled. The use of the MQL method resulted in a reduction of the cutting tool wear by approximately 9% compared to the MQCL + EP/AW method and by approximately 21% compared to dry machining. Further, the highest values of wear indices were achieved during dry machining and the lowest ones in the method of minimized lubrication which validate the minimum lubrication as beneficial for reducing the wear progress. [Display omitted] •The use of oil mist in the MQL enabled a massive decrease of cutting wear wedge during turning 316L steel.•The MQL method triggers a reduction of cutting tool wear by as much as 21% compared to dry machining.•The main wear on the cutting wedge was found near the corner, in all wedges investigated, as a notch wear.