Investigation of cutting performance of coated micro-textured tools for cutting aluminum alloys

Abstract. Due to the high thermal conductivity and large thermal expansion coefficient of aluminum alloy materials, significant cutting forces are easily generated during metal processing, which affects the quality of the finished product. In this paper, by deeply exploring the mechanism of micro-textures on tool surfaces, we designed and prepared three types of micro-textured tools with identical morphologies but differing distributions. Cutting tests were conducted to analyze the specific impact of micro-textures on the rake and flank faces of the tool on cutting performance. To further optimize the cutting efficiency of these micro-textured tools, a coating treatment was applied to their surfaces, and an in-depth study was conducted on the changes in cutting performance under the synergistic effect of micro-textures and coating materials. The research results indicate that tools with micro-textures on both the rake and the flank faces exhibit optimal cutting performance. Furthermore, such tools with coated micro-textures can further reduce cutting forces by 21.57 % and cutting temperatures by 7.56 %, effectively facilitating the smooth discharge of chips and preventing the accumulation of cutting heat on the tool surface. This paper explores the interaction between micro-textures and coating materials, as well as their specific impacts on cutting performance, providing a theoretical foundation for subsequent research on coated micro-textured tools.