Improving anti-adhesion in aluminum alloy cutting by micro stripe texture

Abstract Demand for aluminum alloy composites has rapidly increased, especially in the transport industry. This demand is due to such key advantages as a high strength to mass ratio and high corrosion resistance. However, aluminum alloy cutting has some serious problems. Aluminum chips readily and severely adhere to the surface of the cutting tool, often leading to tool failure, above all, in dry cutting. To address this problem, we have developed DLC-coated cutting tools with nano/micro-textured surfaces formed using femtosecond laser technology in our previous research. Face-milling experiments on aluminum alloys showed that the textured surface significantly improves the lubricity and the anti-adhesive properties at the tool-chip interface, but the problem associated with the tool-chip adhesion in dry cutting still remains. In this study, to overcome the problem, we designed new textures of cutting tool surface based on a mechanism for the formation of the chip adhesion and developed a cutting tool with micro stripe textured surface. As a result, it was revealed that the surface significantly improves cutting performances including the anti-adhesive properties both in wet and dry cutting without any coating technologies.