Chamfered Tooling Improves Dry Turning Performance of AISI D2 Steel

Overview

A recent study published in Scientific Reports investigated how chamfered and conventional carbide cutting inserts perform during the dry turning of AISI D2 steel. The research focused on balancing productivity, surface integrity, temperature generation, and power consumption during machining.

AISI D2 is a high-carbon, high-chromium tool steel commonly used where wear resistance and dimensional stability are important. However, it can be challenging to machine efficiently, especially under dry cutting conditions where no coolant is used. This makes tooling design and cutting parameter selection especially important.

Study Focus

The researchers compared two tooling options:

• A chamfered Xcel insert
• A conventional carbide insert

The machining tests were conducted using dry turning conditions. The study evaluated the effects of cutting speed, feed rate, and depth of cut on four major machining outcomes:

• Volumetric material removal rate
• Microhardness
• Turning-zone temperature
• Power consumption
• The experimental range included cutting speeds of 100–150 m/min, feed rates of 0.2–0.3 mm/rev, and depths of cut of 0.5–1.0 mm.

Key Findings

The chamfered Xcel insert consistently outperformed the conventional carbide insert within the tested range. The results suggest that the Xcel insert can improve productivity in dry turning of AISI D2 steel without causing a disproportionate increase in temperature or energy use.

The study found that feed rate was the most influential factor for volumetric material removal rate, contributing 27.69% according to the ANOVA analysis. Cutting speed had the greatest influence on microhardness and turning-zone temperature, contributing 74.51% and 49.36%, respectively. Depth of cut was the strongest contributor to power consumption, with a contribution of 29.55%.

The highest measured volumetric material removal rate was 1341.57 cm³, while the highest measured microhardness was 177.78 HV. Under conservative cutting conditions, the lowest turning-zone temperature was 272 °C and the lowest power consumption was 420.28 W.

Optimization Approach

The researchers used artificial neural network models to predict machining responses and applied the NSGA-II optimization method to identify an optimal machining setup.

The optimized condition identified by the study was:

• Cutting speed: 149.84 m/min
• Feed rate: 0.3 mm/rev
• Depth of cut: 0.997 mm
• Tooling: Chamfered Xcel insert
• This optimized setup favored higher productivity while maintaining manageable thermal and energy demands.

Practical Significance

For manufacturers working with AISI D2 steel, the study indicates that chamfered tooling can be an effective option for dry turning operations. The Xcel insert geometry may help improve material removal rates and machining efficiency while limiting excessive increases in temperature and power consumption.

The findings are especially relevant for operations seeking to reduce coolant use, improve process sustainability, and optimize cutting performance through data-driven methods.

Important Note

The article was provided as an unedited early-access manuscript by Scientific Reports. The publisher notes that the manuscript may undergo further editing before final publication, and some content may be corrected or refined.