Tool wear and surface integrity analysis of machined heat treated selective laser melted Ti-6Al-4V

In this study, the tool wear and surface integrity during machining of wrought and Selective Laser
Melted (SLM) titanium alloy (after heat treatment) are studied. Face turning trails were carried out on
both the materials at different cutting speeds of 60,120 and 180 m/min. Cutting tools and machined
specimens collected are characterized using scanning electron microscope, surface profiler and optical
microscope to study the tool wear, machined surface quality and machining induced microstructural
alterations. It was found that high cutting speeds lead to rapid tool wear during machining of SLM
Ti-6Al-4V materials. Rapid tool wear observed at high cutting speeds in machining SLM Ti-6Al-4V
resulted in damaging the surface integrity by 1) Deposition of chip/work material on the machined
surface giving rise to higher surface roughness and 2) Increasing the depth of plastic deformation
on the machined sub surface.