Some aspects of machining cast Al-SiCp composites with conventional high speed steel and tungsten carbide tools

An attempt was made to evaluate machining of eutectic Al-Si (LM6) and hypoeutectic Al-Si (LM25) alloys reinforced with 10, 15, and 20% SiCp of two particle sizes using conventional high-speed steel (HSS) and tungsten carbide (WC) tools by varying cutting speed, feed, depth of cut, and environment. Machining of metal matrix composites (MMCs) is a difficult task using HSS and WC tools. The tool life of both these conventional tools was observed to decrease with increasing percentage and coarseness of SiCp in the composites. Tungsten carbide tools had a longer tool life than HSS under all the different conditions studied. Contrary to the known phenomenon of enhanced tool life in machining monolithic alloys with the use of cutting fluid, the tool life of WC/HSS tool in machining composites with cutting fluid was only 10 to 20% of that without cutting fluid.