Machinability of Inconel 825 under nano-Al₂O₃ based nanofluid minimum quantity lubrication

In the present work, turning performance of Inconel 825 superalloy is studied under Nanofluid Minimum Quantity Lubrication (NFMQL). Nanofluid used is nano-Al₂O₃ dispersed distilled water. The tool insert used in this study is PVD multi-layered (TiN/ TiCN/ TiN) coated cermet. The following machining performance indicators: tangential cutting force, tool-tip temperature, wear morphologies of the tool insert, macro/ micro-morphologies of chips produced, etc. are studied. It is observed that dry machining environment causes vibration signals of random nature whose frequency and amplitude of acceleration are highly time variant. On the contrary, periodic vibration signal with lower amplitude of acceleration is detected in case of NFMQL machining. Consequently, NFMQL exhibits lower cutting force, reduced tool-tip temperature, and less severe tool wear than that of dry machining. NFMQL produces thinner chips with shorter segmentation spacing and wider shear angle than dry machining. (author)