The Effect of Using Tools with Protective Coatings on Changes in Surface Geometric Texture in High-Performance Machining of Cast Iron

Cast iron is a material widely used in mechanical engineering, the automotive industry and large-scale structures. Interest in cast iron remains strong, despite the widespread drive to manufacture ever lighter, cheaper and more durable machine parts from light metal alloys or titanium. This is mainly due to the low cost of cast iron, its ease of recycling and its favourable mechanical properties, including its particular ability to dampen vibrations. There are numerous publications in the international literature on the principles for selecting machining parameters for high-performance machining of steel, light metal alloys and titanium. Research into modelling the effect of machining parameters on the surface roughness and wear of cutting tools when machining these materials is widely documented. However, there is considerably less literature available on the high-performance machining of cast irons. This is particularly true in the context of the use of tools with protective coatings. To fill this gap, a research project was undertaken, which identified the potential for using a single tool for high-performance machining of spheroidal cast iron. The machining process was investigated under industrial conditions (in the automotive sector), taking into account the specific nature of roughing and finishing operations integrated into a single operation. In addition to investigating efficiency in terms of material removal and surface quality, the degree of wear on the cutting inserts at which the quality of the machined surface does not deteriorate was determined.