Environment-friendly machining of aerospace-grade Ti alloy using SiAlON ceramic and AlTiN coated carbide inserts under sustainable biodegradable mist condition

Due to lower thermal conductivity and high chemical reactivity Ti6Al4V is considered as the difficult to machine aerospace material. To improve the machinability both AlTiN coated carbide and SiAlON ceramic tools are used for the machining under dry and biodegradable oil in water-based MQL mist mode. The antiadhesion property of coated carbide tools has helped in reducing the cutting forces, and chip-tool contact during the machining of this alloy. The application of sustainable mist has also reduced the chipping of the cutting edge for the coated carbide tools. However, the SiAlON ceramic tools have underperformed in reducing the cutting forces and wear associated with the cutting insert due to their lower thermal conductivity. The implication of MQL mist was also not able to improve the performance of ceramic inserts during the cutting of Ti6Al4V alloy.