Simulation study on influence of coating thickness on cutting performance of coated ceramic cutting tools

Abstract

The processes of cutting gray iron with coated ceramic tools were simulated using the cutting simulation software named AdvantEdge. The effect of coating thickness on cutting temperature, cutting force, and maximum equivalent stress of cutting tools were investigated. Firstly, a finite element cutting simulation model was established to investigate the influence of coating thickness of coated ceramic tools. The cutting simulation model was verified through cutting gray iron experiment. And the model has validity. Both the simulation and experimental results showed that the cutting temperature, cutting force and the maximum equivalent stress were obtained to be minimum when the coating thickness was 2 μm, reaching 444.5 °C, 102 N and 1949.8 MPa, respectively. Finally, the relationship between the interface characteristics and cutting performance of coated ceramic tools were qualitatively described by the functional relationship between the maximum equivalent stress and the coating thickness. Since the maximum equivalent stress of the tool can reflect the tool wear condition, the optimum coating thickness can be obtained corresponding to the minimum tool wear using the relationship between the maximum equivalent stress and the coating thickness.