Machining performance of a cryogenically treated drill during drilling of EN 1.4401 stainless steel

EN 1.4401 stainless steel is a high-performance austenitic steel familiar for its outstanding mechanical strength, corrosion resistance, and durability, making it well-suited for significant applications. Drilling is an essential operation to produce holes that are used in the assembly of components. During this process, heat energy produced near the tool-workpiece junction results in tool wear quickly, raised cutting force, hardening of the workpiece(W/p), and also raises the cost of tooling. Thus, it is important to find a reasonable treatment method to improve the drill tool’s performance and life. In recent years, the cryogenic process, a thermal treatment method to enhance the wear resistance and hardness of cutting tools, has been employed. This research aims to assess the effectiveness of cryogenically treated M42 8% Cobalt mix molybdenum HSS uncoated tools with drill dia10mm. Feed rate (f r ), spindle speed (S s ), and tool treatment conditions are considered as input parameters, while wear on the tool, surface quality, chip morphology, and drilling temperature are taken as output parameters. The tool alteration by cryogenic treatment (CT) to improve its performance is achieved through a green, sustainable technique, which is known as deep cryogenic treatment (DCT). An average reduction of 39.16% and a 26.38% reduction in tool wear and surface roughness (R a ), respectively, were observed under the treated tool when compared with the untreated tool. In addition to this, the temperature measured under the treated tool showed a reduction of 10.51% when compared with the untreated tool. For every response, prediction models are created using Response Surface Methodology(RSM). Subsequently, the desirability technique optimizes all of the responses collectively, and confirmation studies are used to validate the results.