Machinability of BN free-machining steel in turning

Abstract In the past few years, extensive researches have been done to improve the machinability of work materials in order to increase productivity and reduce the effect on the environment. To satisfy these demands, various free-machining steels have been researched and developed. One of them is BN free-machining steel that contains hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). However, the machinability was not stable. In this study, machining tests were carried out to clarify the machinability of steels and appropriate chemical composition of work material and tool material to achieve high efficient machining. Tested work materials were plane carbon steel JIS S45C and BN free-machining steels. The JIS S45C was used as the standard. The tool wear in turning BN free-machining steel was smaller than that in turning standard steel. In case of turning BN1 with P30 at 200, 300 m/min, the wear progress rate of flank wear and crater depth were about half as much as that in turning standard steel. BN free-machining steel showed slightly lower cutting temperature and smaller cutting force in comparison with standard steel at the tested cutting speeds. Al and N were detected as a layer at the tool wear region of P grade carbide tools after turning BN free-machining steel at high cutting speed. It is thought that one of the main reasons of outstanding machinability of BN free-machining steel is that the deposited layer containing Al and N acts as diffusion barrier at the tool–chip interface. In turning larger Al content BN-added steel with higher Ti content cutting tools, a larger wear reduction was observed. Therefore, it is said that not only added BN but also appropriate Al is necessary in work material.