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Ceramics International ] (]]]]) ]]]–]]]
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Tool life models of nano ceramic tool for turning hard steel based
on FEM simulation and experiments
H.-J. Hu, W.-J. Huangn
College of Material Science and Engineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400050, China

Received 4 January 2014; received in revised form 21 January 2014; accepted 21 January 2014

Abstract

Turning speed, depth of cut, and feed rate are only considered for the traditional turning tool life model of nano ceramic tool. But installation
and geometry parameters of the tool and the material characteristics for manufactured materials have not been taken into account for ordinary tool
life model. Three-dimensional numerical simulations of turning process using nano ceramic tool have been researched by finite element method
(FEM) and archard wear model in the research. The influences of tool shapes, tool rake angle and manufactured metal properties on the contact
stresses, sliding speeds, and the temperature have been discussed. A new type of tool life model for nano ceramic tool has been established which
include turning speed, depth of cut, the feed amount and other factors. The influences of tool shape, tool rake angle and manufactured metal
properties, as well as other turning parameters on tool wear life have been studied deeply. Turning experiments have been done. The preliminary
tool life prediction model and evaluation system based on the finite element simulation for nano ceramic tool turning hard steel have been
constructed. The model can provide fundamental and practical guidelines of the hard turning.
& 2014 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Nano ceramic tool; Tool life; Wear model; 3D numerical simulation

1. Introduction that grain sizes have obvious effects on mechanical properties of

ceramic tool (such as hardness, strength and fracture toughness),
High speed turning technology has become the mainstream of the grains size of tool tip is about 200 nm by SPS sintering
the precision metal machining technology [1]. So the turning tool process [4], and hardness up to 19 GPa. The mechanical
material is very important for matting mechanisms, stress state, properties of nano-crystalline Al2O3 ceramics are far superior
wear mechanism and failure modes of the high speed turning for to the ordinary Al2O3 ceramics.
turning tool [2]. The traditional turning tool material cannot meet Turning process is a complex plastic deformation process.
the demand of high speed turning. Ordinary ceramic tools have It is difficult to accurately describe the turning process in a
poor thermal and shock resistance and are not recommended for traditional way for the thories of high speed turning involving
high speed turning. Grains refinement and improvement the the elastic–plastic theory, metallography, heat transfer theory,
uniformity of the turning tool material can significantly improve etc. Many researchers applied finite element simulation tech-
the performance of the tool, and the development of nano nologies to study the turning process deeply. But at present
ceramic (mainly refers to the nanocomposite ceramics) with its three-dimension (3D) finite element research of nanometer
high strength, toughness, oxidation resistance. The researches of tool life is reported rarely. Li et al. used two-dimension (2D)
mechanical properties of nano-crystalline Al2O3 ceramics and fully thermomechanical coupled finite element (FE) model to
micron Al2O3 ceramics by our research team [3] have shown simulate machining hardened steel SKD11 component [5].
Coelho et al. have used finite element method (FEM) simula-
n
Corresponding author. Tel./fax: þ 86 2362562334. tions and experiments with three different coatings, the results
E-mail address: [email protected] (W.-J. Huang). of tool wear, turning force and surface finish obtained from the

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2014.01.095
0272-8842 & 2014 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved.

Please cite this article as: H.-J. Hu, W.-J. Huang, Tool life models of nano ceramic tool for turning hard steel based on FEM simulation and experiments,
Ceramics International (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2014.01.095
2 H.-J. Hu, W.-J. Huang / Ceramics International ] (]]]]) ]]]–]]]

turning operations on hardened AISI4340 using PCBN coated conditions have been applied to nodes of workpiece and specify
and uncoated edges are obtained [6]. Lorentzon and Jarvstra contact between those nodes and the surface of tool [9]. The
have applied finite element tool wear model to predict the worn Newton–Raphson method has been recommended for most
geometry quantitatively in cemented carbide tool machining problems because it generally converged in less iteration than the
nickel-based alloys [7]. In recent years finite element method other available methods [10]. To represent the friction behavior as
has attracted extensive attentions in researches of turning tool a consequence of the shear stress and the contact pressure, the
and is very helpful for the development of turning tool and a generalized coulomb's law has been used. The friction between the
powerful investigative way of intensive studies for the metal workpiece/tool interfaces is considered to be of shear-type. It was
turning process. A lot of datum can be acquired by studying well known that this law stated proportionality between shear yield
the properties of turning tool during cutting, which could make stress and the contact pressure due to the presence of the friction
the turning tool product more precise and more reliable and given by
shorten the time for developing new turning tool product and pffiffiffi
τ ¼ μs= 3 ð1Þ
decrease the cost for the sample manufacture of turning tool
and experiment facilities. where τ is the frictional shear stress, s is the effective flow stresses
Hard turning refers to the process of turning hardened of the workpiece, and μ (0rμr1) is the friction factor. In the
workpiece with hardness between 58 and 62 HRC. Hard present simulations, a friction factor of 0.6 at the tool/chip interface
turning is one kind of cost consumed machining which could was chosen in this paper. The same friction factor was assumed at
reduce and even eliminate some finish grinding. With hard the interface between the tool and workpiece.
turning, the intermediate step of heat treatment is eliminated.
The main factors such as turning speed, turning depth and feed 2.2. Heat conduction equation
are considered in the traditional tool life prediction model [8].
But the tool installation parameters, tool characteristics, and The equation for heat conduction of metal removal proces-
turning tool geometry parameters have been not taken into sing is shown in Eq. (2) which is controlled by partial
consideration. The finite element models of ultrafine-grained differential energy equation in rectangular coordinate system.
ceramic turning tool have been established based on the The mathematical models of temperature based on the FEM
computer simulation software DEFORM-3D. can predict the temperature distributions:
In this study the effects of cutting parameters (cutting speed,    
∂T ∂ ∂T ∂ ∂T
feed rate, depth of cut, tool shapes, turning angle and manufac- ρcðTÞ ¼ λðTÞ þ λðTÞ þQ ð2Þ
∂τ ∂x ∂x ∂y ∂y
tured metal properties) on turning hard steel by DEFORM
simulation, tool cutting load, and tool temperature have been The turning temperature of tools and the initial environmental
analyzed. The geometry of the turning tool, workpiece and temperature are 20 1C. Between the two contact surfaces of tool/
material properties has been defined carefully to obtain reasonable chip, heat conducts from the highest to the lowest temperature
results from finite element analysis. Tool-chip friction and according to the thermal contact conductance coefficient. The heat
boundary conditions have been set up. 3D FEM models of flux has been described by formula (3), and thermal transfer has
turning processes have been studied based on practical turning been considered as one of the important boundary conditions:
operations. The turning force, temperature distribution of work- ∂T
piece and tool, and tool wear with different cutting speed are  λðTÞ ¼ hðTÞðT s  T f Þ ð3Þ
∂y
predicted by commercial DEFORM software. Researches provide
essential information about the mechanics of turning by nano where λ(T) is the thermal conductivity function which is
Al2O3 tool. Dry high speed turning has been carried out using the temperature-dependent, h(T) is the heat-transfer coefficient of
lathe machine and the wear modes of tool tip were studied. the workpiece material and considered to be constant here, Ts is
The result of simulation will be analyzed in order to obtain the life the surface temperature of workpiece, and Tf is the temperature
prediction models of ultrafine-grained ceramic tool for turning of tool tip.
hard steel. And life prediction mathematical models of ultrafine-
grained ceramic tool during the turning process have been 2.3. Archard wear model established by experiments
established which contains many factors, and which could lay a
theoretical foundation for the practical applications of ultra-fined There are many reasons of influences on tool wear during
ceramic turning tools. the actual turning process, especially the workpiece material is
not homogeneous. The turning heat and temperature rise have
2. Numerical simulation method and conditions a great influence on the turning performance. High tempera-
tures in turning are the causes of unsatisfactory tool life. Wear
2.1. Friction model for turning process rate was calculated using archard empirical wear model Eq. (4)
for every node of the tool in contact with the base material in
Contact friction has a direct impact on the wear of nano ceramic this paper. The volume of the tool wear is proportional to the
tool [8]. Friction characteristics on the interface of tool/chip and friction forces. The archard wear equation is a simple model
tool/workpiece contacts should be modeled highly accurately to used to describe sliding wear and is based around the theory
account for stress developments due to friction. Contact boundary of asperity contact [11]. The influence of the temperature

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distribution on the material hardness is not taken into account Table 2

when archard law is used and the pressure and velocity Material property for the nanometer ceramic tool.
distribution often affect the predicted wear profiles more than Property Ultrafine-grained ceramic
the hardness distribution [12]:
Z Density (kg/m3) 3500
pa v b
W¼ K c dt ð4Þ Young's modulus (GPa) 415
H Poisson's ratio 0.22
Thermal expansion 8.4e 06
where w is the flank wear land width, p is stranded for normal Specific heat (J/kg K) 334
stress between tool flank face and workpiece, v is the sliding Thermal conductivity (W/m K) 7.5
velocity, H is the hardness of the turning tool material, dt is the
time increment, a, b, and c were experimentally calibrated
coefficients and equal to 1 and 2 in this paper. K is therefore a during the hard turning process. Tool material properties for
measure of the severity of wear, and the K value is divided by the nanometer Al2O3 have been listed in Table 2.
reciprocating friction experiments, the K is 5  10  9 when the
turning tools are made of ultrafine-grained ceramic with grain size
0.27 μm and hardness 19,000 MPa, and equal to 4  10  9 if the 3. Simulation results and discussion
tool material is common ceramic with grain size 1.6 μm and
hardness 17.3 GPa. 3.1. The influences of the tool shape

2.4. Fundamental assumptions Turning material for SDK11 with 0.27 μm fine grains
ceramics has been used. There are two kinds of different
Turning process is very complicated, it is necessary to shapes’ tools such as parallelogram and diamond. The main
simplify turning process and to establish hypothesis conditions difference between them is the tip angles. The angles of
and finite element conditions’ hypothesis [13], and material is parallelogram tool (CNMA) with angle 801 are more than that
sticky, and its mechanical properties is constitutive. Material is of diamond tool (DNMA) 551 as shown in Fig. 1a. Turning
isotropic and accord with von Misses yield criterion. As a speed is 1000 m/min, and tool rake angle is  51. Other
result of metal turning process, the metal deformation is large simulation parameters are set in Table 1.
plastic deformation, so the workpiece can be regarded as rigid The temperature of tool/chip contact area at rake surface is the
plastic body, and its elastic deformation has been ignored. highest in turning tool as shown in Fig. 1. Turning temperature is
not high in the tool tip. Wear occurred in position at rake surface
2.5. Finite element model and boundary conditions where turning temperature is the highest. Crater wear gradually
broaden and deepen with the development of turning edge, when
The severe deformation occurs in local small area of tool tip the turning edge between the edges becomes very narrow, the wear
during high speed turning process. In order to simplify the could lead to the decrease of strength of turning edge, so tool
research work, the finite element model of orthogonal turning begins to be damaged. From Fig. 1 it is found that temperature and
has been studied using DEFORM software [14]. Turning wear depth of parallelogram tool are more than those of diamond
conditions and tool geometries parameters for simulations tool during turning. It is obvious that tool wear increases with blade
conditions are shown in Table 1. In turning process, the plastic angle increasing. Compared diamond tool with parallel quadrilat-
deformation occurs in the tool tip, which makes stress gradient, eral tool, more edge surface wear may appear at rake surface. From
strain gradient and temperature gradient of the blade bigger, so Fig. 2a it can be found that the highest temperature of parallelo-
the mesh of these zones should be finer. Because deformation gram tool is more than that of diamond tool in the turning process
is small in the other part, large grids can be used to reduce the but the maximum temperature reaches the stable value at the
element numbers. Four-node elements in both workpiece and turning time 0.45 ms. Increase of rake angle will reduce tempera-
tool models have been used for the deformations occurring ture. It is concluded that increasing turning tool blade angle could
improve the temperature of tool tip, and this is consistent with the
numerical simulation results.
Table 1
From Fig. 2b it can be found that the maximum temperature
Turning conditions and tool geometry for simulations conditions. of workpiece turned by parallelogram tool is higher than the
maximum temperature of workpiece turned by diamond tool.
Environment temperature (1C) 20 When the blade angle increases from 551 to 801, the highest
Convection coefficient between tools and environment (N/s/mm/1C) 0.02
surface temperature of the machined workpiece increases from
Friction factor 0.6
Heat transfer factor (N/s/mm/1C) 45 2350 1C to 2750 1C, but the highest temperature is concentrated
Element numbers 44,952 in the center of the scraps, and the heat generated by the turning
Workpiece type Plastic process is mostly brought away by chips. The temperatures of
Workpiece temperature (1C) 20 substrates are only 643 1C and 602 1C, respectively. So the
Length of workpiece (mm) 15
workpiece will not produce larger residual deformation and
Maximum nod numbers for workpiece 9863
residual stress. To a certain extent the diamond tool can reduce

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Fig. 1. (a) The CNMA and DNMA tool geometry, the temperature and the wear depth with by different tools at step 600, (b) parallelogram tool and
(c) diamond tool.

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Fig. 2. Evolution curve of the highest temperature for tool (a) and workpiece
(b) with time for different tool shape.

tool wear and improve the quality of the workpiece surface at

the same time.
From Figs. 3 and 4 it is known that the contact stresses between
the chip and parallelogram tools are bigger than those of the
diamond tool, but sliding velocity is smaller. The tool wear depths
of parallelogram tool is bigger than those of the diamond tool.
Fig. 3. Contact stress distribution between the tool/chip for (a) parallelogram
tool and (b) diamond tool.
3.2. The influences of the tool rake angles

Small and medium rake angles may cause high compression temperature after a certain turning time, and the value of strain is
stress, high tool forces and high friction forces. Positive rake maximum, and deformation energy can quickly be transformed
angles reduce turning forces, limited deflection of work, tool into heat. Tool temperatures rely on the heat transfer between
holder, and machine, negative rake angles typically used to tool and the chip, which depend on the heat rate and heat
machine harder metals-heavy cuts, the negative rake angles conduction time and other thermal physical parameters. When
transfer the turning forces to the tool which help to provide the temperature reached the maximum value, the maximum
added support to the turning edge. Turning speed is 1000 m/ temperatures are 504 1C, 537 1C, and 419 1C, and tool rake
min and tool rake angles are  51, 01, 51 and 101. SDK11- angles are  51, 51, and 101. When the temperatures reach the
COLD has been used to be turned. Other simulation para- equilibrium state, temperature variations are very little. Tem-
meters are set as Table 1. perature of tool and workpiece should be the same almost.
The maximum temperature curves are shown in Fig. 5. Because turning speed is high, and tool travel time is very short
It can be seen that the workpiece gradually achieve the highest (only 0.5 ms) during the simulation process, there is not enough

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Fig. 5. Predicted maximum temperature vs. time with different tool rake
angles.

pressure is higher, and the temperature is also very high. And high
temperature could directly increase tool wear, so as to reduce the
tool life, and crater wear easily appear in those position. Increasing
the positive rake angle would decrease turning temperature. If rake
angle is bigger, less heat would produce, but turning temperature is
low, wear may be reduced greatly.
Fig. 7 shows the main turning force changing with cutting time
under condition of different rake angles. It is known that main
turning forces caused by negative rake angle are larger than those
of positive rake angle if rake angles are equal. Main turning forces
reduce with the increase of the rake angles significantly. If the other
tool parameters and machining parameters are the same, bigger
rake angles could reduce the temperatures of turning tool and the
workpiece, chip temperature, contact stress, so tool wear could be
reduced. There are two possible reasons, one is that increasing the
rake turning angle can increase shear angle accordingly, and the
workpiece deformation is small. The other is that the changes of
turning area drop if larger rake angle is used, which could reduce
the impacts of the turning tool and the workpiece. So larger rake
angles should be used if the strength of tool is enough.

3.3. The influences of workpiece materials

Fig. 4. Contact stress slips velocity distribution between the tool/chip for Die steel H13 and SDK11 are used as workpiece materials in
(a) parallelogram tool and (b) diamond tool.
simulation [15]. Turning tool material is super fined grains
ceramics with size 0.27 μm. Mechanical and thermal characteristic
time for heat equilibrium state between the tool/chip. When tool parameters of hardened steels for H13 and SDK11 are shown in
rake angle is 01, maximum temperature of internal tool rises Table 3 and Figs. 8 and 9.
sharply. Larger tool rake angle can significantly reduce the tool It is found predicted maximum temperature vs. time with
temperature. Increases of rake angle not only can improve different turning metals are shown in Fig. 10, more heat could
friction state of tool fake, but also reduce chip deformation. be produced by SDK11 tool than H13 tool. The strength or
From Figs. 5 and 6 it can be found that temperature increase hardness and coefficients of thermal conductivity of workpiece
with the tool rake angle. Tool rake angle 01 will significantly material have great influences on turning temperatures. The
improve the blade temperature and tool wear. Through these strength of workpiece is higher, the turning force is greater.
analyses, we can conclude that the highest simulated wear depth is The coefficients of thermal conductivity for workpiece are
always located at blade surface of tool tip. Because the relative bigger. The lower turning temperatures are caused by work-
sliding velocity between chip and tool are the largest in this region, piece for the more heat conduction has been generated.

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Fig. 6. Wears depth at step 600 with different tool rake angles.

3.4. Life prediction of nano ceramic turning tool based on where Vc is cutting speed, T is tool life. n and C are constants
multiple factors which is found by experimentation and dependent on proper-
ties of tool material, workpiece and feed rate.
The Taylor equation for tool life provides a good approx- According to parameters of simulation conditions and the
imation shown in the following equation: simulation results in Table 4, the tool wear and failure modes
have been researched. The influences of tool shapes, rake angles
V cT n ¼ C ð5Þ and turned workpiece properties on the tool wear life have been

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8 H.-J. Hu, W.-J. Huang / Ceramics International ] (]]]]) ]]]–]]]

Fig. 7. Curves of turning forces with different rake angles.

Table 3
The thermodynamic properties of H13 and SDK11.

Hardened Young's Poisson's Coefficient of thermal Density ρ

steel modulus E ratio expansion (1C  1) (kg m  3)
(MPa)

H13 Fig. 9a 0.3 Fig. 8b 7800

SDK11 206,754 0.3 Fig. 9b 7800

analyzed. Equation for tool life (6) has been established on the
relationships between the tool life and turning parameters (turning
speed, feed and rake angle and cut depth) and metal material
strength, and deduced from the generalized Taylor formula of life:
L ¼ C T v a f b d c ji m e g h ð6Þ
where v, f, d, m and j are turning speed (m/min), feed rate (mm/s),
cut depth (mm), strength of turned metal material, rake angle, Fig. 8. Thermal parameters of Sdk11 (a) and H13 (b).
respectively, and g is a tip angle. CT, a, b, c, I, e and h are the
coefficients or indexes related to the tool material. Strength of Compared with the common ceramic tool, fine grained ceramic
cold hardening steel SDK11 at room temperature is 1343 MPa, tool would be preferentially applied to high speed turning. Fine
strength of H13 is 1214 MPa. L is a turning life (min). grained ceramic tool can withstand high turning temperatures
According to the data of simulation results, model for nano and improve hardness and wear resistance. Caution should be
ceramic tool life can be shown in the following equation which taken when these tools are taken for turning aluminum,
has been obtained from the multiple linear regression solution: titanium and which may react with aluminum oxide.
L ¼ 13838v0:73 f  2:5 d0:9 j4:4 m  0:14 g  2:9 ð7Þ The geometry of a turning tool is determined by the
properties of tool material and workpiece and type of cut.
From the turning tool life prediction model formula (7) it can be Factors to consider for tool angles include hardness of the
seen that the influences of tool rake, tool geometrical parameters metal, material and shape of the turning tool and strength of
(blade angle), and feed rate and turning depth on the tool life are the tool edge. From Eq. (7) the largest suitable nose angle on
very significant. So fine grained ceramic tool is suitful of turning the insert should be selected for strength and cost efficiency
hard metal with high speed turning. This is not the same as tool life of tool.
models of common cemented carbide tool or other ceramic tool. Rake angle is a parameter used in turning processes. Rake
angle includes the back rake angle and side rake angle. There
3.5. The ways for choices of fine grained ceramic tool high are three types of rake angles including positive, negative, and
speed turning zero. A zero rake angle has a larger crater wear when
compared to positive rake angle from Table 4. Recommended
Proper selection of material and geometry of the fine grained rake angles can depend on the material being cut, tool material,
ceramic tool for high speed turning are very important. depth of cut, cutting speed, machine, and setup.

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Table 4
The orthogonal table of simulation parameters and simulation results.

Material of Turning Feed rate Cut Blade Turning Wear depth

workpiece speed (mm/s) depth angle (1) angle (mm)
(m/min) (mm)

SDK11 1000 0.3 0.5 80 5 0.0000126

SDK11 1000 0.3 0.5 55 5 0.0000087
SDK11 1000 0.3 0.5 80 0 0.000047
SDK11 1000 0.3 0.5 80 5 0.0000136
H13 2000 0.3 0.5 80 5 0.0000115
H13 3000 0.3 0.5 80 5 0.0000121
H13 5000 0.3 0.5 80 5 0.0000123
SDK11 3000 0.3 0.5 80 5 0.000337
H13 2000 0.5 0.5 80 5 0.0000137
H13 2000 0.8 0.5 80 5 0.0000125
H13 2000 0.3 0.2 80 5 0.00000022
H13 2000 0.3 0.3 80 5 0.000239
H13 100 0.3 0.5 80 5 0.000175
H13 220 0.3 0.5 80 5 0.000429

Fig. 9. The young's modulus of H13 (a) and (b) the coefficient of thermal
expansion.

Fig. 11. The morphology for the tool tip after turning hard steel at turning
speed 220m/min and turning length 600 mm.

4. Experimental results

To optimize turning parameters and enhance turning pro-

ductivity, we should firstly try to choose larger turning speed,
and then select the larger feed rates according to the processing
conditions and process requirements, finally the bigger cut
depth can be selected if tool life and machine power permis-
sion meet the requirements. This is different from selection
principle of turning parameter for common ceramic turning
tool. Various factors influencing on tool life for high speed
machining are not suitable for low speed turning. Increasing
the turning speed and cut depths during high speed turning can
Fig. 10. Predicted maximum temperature vs. time with different turning metals. greatly improve the tool life and turning efficiency.
CA6140 lathe and CNMA tool with blade angle 801 have
Application of cutting fluid is very important for fine been used for turning experiment. Rake angle is  51, turning
grained ceramic tool. Proper selection and application of speed is 2200 m/s, feed rate is 0.1 mm/s, turning depth is
turning fluid help to reduce friction and tool temperature and 0.1 mm, and turning length is 600 m. Fig. 11 shows morphol-
tool wear. Reduction in tool wear can be accomplished using ogy of ultrafine grains ceramic tool blade after turning hard steel
lubricants and coolants while turning. at turning speed 2200 m/min and turning length 600 mm. It is

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by National Natural Science

Foundation of China (Grant no. 50975302).

Please cite this article as: H.-J. Hu, W.-J. Huang, Tool life models of nano ceramic tool for turning hard steel based on FEM simulation and experiments,
Ceramics International (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2014.01.095