Effects of Cutting Parameters on Tool Wear and Chip Shape when Dry Turning 6060 Aluminium Alloy Using Different Carbide Tool Geometries

This study presents an experimental investigation of tool wear and chip shape after turning 6060 aluminium alloy using wiper and conventional cutting tools under dry cutting conditions. The influence of parameters such as cutting speed, feed rate, depth of cut, and tool type on tool wear and chip shape were examined. A Taguchi L9 orthogonal array was employed to optimise the cutting parameter, and the effect of each parameter on tool wear was determined using analysis of means (ANOM) and analysis of variance (ANOVA). It was found that a combination of a cutting speed of 1000 rpm, feed rate at 0.1 mm/rev, and depth of cut of 0.5 mm achieved minimal tool wear when dry turning 6060 aluminium alloy using wiper tools. Also, the ANOVA indicated that the main factor contributing to lower tool wear was cutting speed followed by feed rate, with percentage contribution ratios (PCRs) of 54.75% and 37.67% respectively. This confirms that the relationship between cutting speed and tool wear is proportional. Additionally, the ANOVA results demonstrated that the depth of cut, and tool type had little impact on tool wear. Although the wiper and conventional tools are made of similar material with different nose geometries, the wiper insert showed limited abrasion at the higher cutting speed compared to the conventional one. All turning tests produced long irregular continuous curled chips at the beginning of the cutting process, which then changed from the curled to a string-like shape wrapped around the insert tip and the machined part at the end of the turning process. Meanwhile, all the cutting parameters were found to have only a minor impact on chip shape when dry turning 6060 aluminium alloy. Keywords: Dry turning, 6060 aluminium alloy, wiper and conventional coated carbide tools, tool wear, chip shape.