International Journal of Mechanical and Materials Engineering (IJMME), Vol.6 (2011), No.

3, 362-366

MACHINED SURFACE OF FCD 700 DUCTILE CAST IRON IN A DRY TURNING

ENVIRONMENT USING CARBIDE TOOLS

J.A.Ghani, K. Othman, M.N.A. Rahman, B.M. Deros and C.H.C.Haron

Department of Mechanical and Material Engineering,
Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
43600 Bangi, Malaysia
Email: jaharah@eng.ukm.my

Received 2 December 2011, Accepted 14 December 2011

ABSTRACT not necessarily foundry-related. Problems encountered

Machining is one of the most important processes in were drilling, milling, turning and other machining
producing automotive components such as difficult to processes. Most of the problems were due to changes
cut cast iron grade FCD700. Trying to improve the in the microstructure formation during the machining
machining technique, for the benefit of humanity and process itself. As an example, during a high pressure
the environment, is a continuous process. This paper drilling operation, the matrix structure of the cast iron
presents an environmentally-friendly method of turning was actually being changed due to stress
FCD700 cast iron using a carbide tool without coolant. transformation of the high carbon-retained austenite in
The turning process was carried out in three types of the matrix into martensite (Griffin et al, 2010). This
dry conditions, i.e. without air, in chilled air and in transformation produces much greater wear, and
normal air. The turning parameters studied were machining-resistant matrix martensite. Surface
cutting speed (100-300 m/min), feed rate (0.1-0.4 roughness and dimensional accuracy play an important
mm/rev), and depth of cut (0.2-2.0 mm). Results show role in the performance of a machined component. In
that the average surface roughness (Ra) was greatly actual machining processes however, the quality of the
affected by the feed rate, while the effect of depth of workpiece (either roughness or dimension) is greatly
cut was negligible. A low Ra value was produced at a influenced by the cutting conditions, tool geometry,
high cutting speed, especially at a medium air tool material, machining process, chip formation,
temperature of 10 deg C. The Ra obtained deteriorated workpiece material, tool wear and vibration during
with cooler chilled air at -2 deg C, when compared to cutting (Kalpakjian and Schmid 2001). Since tool wear
cutting in an environment without air. A high feed rate influences the surface roughness and vibration, the
produced a coarser surface finish at the beginning of propagation of wear also influences the value of
the cut, but as the tools wore out the machined surface surface roughness and cutting tool vibration.
topography remained similar, regardless of the value of
the feed rate used. This paper examines the effects of a dry cutting
environment and turning parameters on a machined
Keywords: dry turning, FCD700 cast iron, carbide surface when turning ductile cast iron FCD700 using a
tool, surface roughness, surface topography coated carbide tool.

1. INTRODUCTION 2. EXPERIMENTAL WORK

Generally, machinability is defined as a combination of The machining trials were carried out on a Colchester
optimum machining parameters such as low cutting model Tornado 600 CNC turning machine in a dry
force, high metal removal rate, good surface integrity, environment. The FCD700 (JIS) grade ductile cast iron
accurate and consistent workpiece geometry with spherical graphite and ferrite was prepared in a
characteristics, low wear rate, and acceptable chip D100mm x 160mm round bar. The Brinell hardness
formation (Noordin et al. 2004). Cast iron usually and tensile strength were in the range of 241 HB and
refers to grey cast iron which is widely used in 845MPa respectively with elongation of 6%. Table 1
automotive industries. Due to its availability and low shows the composition of cast iron grade FCD700 used
cost, it remains competitive with the newly developed in the experiment. An AC700G grade coated Al2O3
and advanced materials in this industry. Casting of carbide cutting insert was used in these experiments.
grey cast iron has relatively few shrinkage cavities and The technique of CVD coating used for the insert is
little porosity (Kalpakjian and Schmid, 2001). suitable for machining ductile grey cast iron (Griffin et
Generally, white cast iron is hard and brittle, and so al, 2010). Table 2 shows the mechanical properties of
difficult to machine (Gonzalez and Bhadeshia, 2007). the coated carbide insert AC700G. For the purpose of a
In addition the casting process is never perfect, detailed study of the effects of different turning
especially when dealing with large components parameters, especially the effect of the cutting
(Gonzalez and Bhadeshia, 2007). Goodrich (2007) environment on the surface roughness of the machined
suggested that the machining problems of cast iron are part, ten machining tests were selected from the
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previous experiment (Jaharah et al. 2010, Azmi et al finishing process. This contradicts previous findings by
2010, Kamal 2009) as shown in Table 3. These tests Kamaruzzaman and Dhar (2008). They claimed that
were selected in order to evaluate the effect of the surface finish is improved, and dimensional deviation
cutting environment on the surface roughness by decreased, with the use of a high pressure coolant. In
varying one factor at a time. this study the air pressure is considered low, i.e. only
0.02 MPa. Due to this, the effect of chilled air on the
Table 1 Composition of cast iron grade FCD700 machined surface is different to that found by
(Kamal 2009) Kamaruzzaman and Dhar (2008).

Element percentage (%) Table 4 The surface roughness measured at the

beginning of the cut for various turning conditions
C Si Mn P S Cu Mo Mg
3.32 2.68 0.46 0.028 0.018 0.85 - 0.09 Experim Cutti Feed dep Dry Surface
ent no ng rate, f th conditi roughn
speed (mm/r of on (deg ess, Ra
Table 2 Geometry and coating of coated carbide insert
,v ev) cut, C) (μm)
(m/mi DO
Rake
Nose Clearance n) C
angl Coating
radius angle (m
e material
rε  m)
 1 without
0.8 3o -5o Al2O3 + TiCN 120 0.15 0.8 air 1.81
2 without
120 0.15 1 air 1.78
Table 3 Turning parameters used in the experiment 3 without
120 0.4 1.6 air 6.40
depth of 4 without
Cutting cut 120 0.4 0.6 air 6.32
speed Feed rate (DOC) Dry condition 5 without
(m/min) (mm/rev) (mm) (deg C) 120 0.3 1.2 air 3.93
120 0.15 0.8 without air 6 100 0.15 0.2 -2 4.48
120 0.15 1 without air 7 300 0.3 2 -2 3.90
8 without
120 0.4 1.6 without air
300 0.3 2 air 2.32
120 0.4 0.6 without air 9 normal
120 0.3 1.2 without air 200 0.15 0.5 air 3.01
100 0.15 0.2 -2 10 300 0.15 0.8 10 2.57
300 0.3 2 -2
3.2 Surface Roughness
300 0.3 2 without air Cutting speed vs. surface roughness, at a constant feed
200 0.15 0.5 25 (normal air) rate of 0.15 mm/rev and with various depths of cut and
300 0.15 0.8 10 cutting environments, is shown Fig. 1. A high cutting
speed is believed to produce a better surface finish,
Surface roughness was measured using a Mahr especially at the cool temperature of 10 deg C. At the
perthometer portable roughness tester, and the surface much cooler temperature of -2 deg C, even with a
topography was captured using a Leica confocal lower cutting speed and depth of cut, a coarser Ra
microscope. value of 4.48 micron was produced. A similar result
was obtained by Davim et al. (2008) and Gusri et al.
3. RESULTS AND DISSCUSSION (2008). They found that the surface roughness
3.1 Machined Surface parameters are highly sensitive to both cutting speed
The surface roughness measured at the beginning of and feed rate. Varying the depth of cut had the least
the cut for various turning conditions is shown in Table effect, producing no noticeable improvement in surface
4. The table clearly shows that low Ra values are roughness at high cutting speeds, except when
obtained at a low feed rate of 0.15 mm/rev, such as in operating within the built-up edge range (Thomas,
experiments 1and 2 in dry cutting conditions without 2009). In addition, a decrease in depth of cut improves
air. But when chilled air and normal air are applied at surface roughness when operating with a low cutting
the same feed rate, the Ra tends to increase, as in speed combined with a high feed rate. Ghani et al
experiments 6, 9 and 10. Therefore, cutting in a chilled (2004a) found that the role of depth of cut is minimal
air environment will adversely affect the machined in obtaining a good surface finish. This indicates that in
surface produced, and so is not recommended for the order to achieve good surface finish, a high cutting

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speed and low feed rate should always be used. microscope (AFM), a confocal white light microscope,
Furthermore, low values of surface roughness and and a scattering light system. They found that the
cutting force were obtained when the feed rate and different methods led to different roughness parameters
depth of cut were kept at low values (Ghani et al. of the same surface.
2004b). Increasing the feed rate value also resulted in
higher cutting force, which requires more power
consumption to remove the material, and consequently
generates more heat at the tool edge, which in turn
promotes tool wear and shortens tool life (Ghani et al.
2004b).

350
f=0.15mm/rev,
Cutting speed (m/min)

300 d.o.c.=0.8 mm,

250 T=25 Deg C
200 f=0.15 mm/rev,
d.o.c.= 0.8 mm,
150
T=10 deg C
100
f=0.15mm/rev,
50 d.o.c.=0.2 mm, T=
0 2 deg C
0 2 4 6 f=0.15mm/rev, VB VB
Surface roughness (micron)
d.o.c.=0.5mm, T=
25 deg C =0.0 =0.3
Figure mm at a cutting
mm 3 Machined surface topography
speed of 120 m/min, feed rate of 0.15 mm/rev and
Figure 1 Cutting speed vs. surface roughness depth of cut of 0.8 mm at various wear land without
any changes to air conditions
Fig. 2 shows surface roughness vs. depth of cut at
various feed rates. It clearly shows that the Ra
measured depends mainly on the feed rate and not on
the depth of cut used in the turning operation.
Generally speaking, the Ra value doubles when feed
rate is doubled. Bhattacharyya (1984) found that
surface roughness is primarily dependent on the feed
rate and the nose radius of the tool. According to
Korkut et al. (2008) and Elmagrabi (2008) feed rate is
the most important factor controlling the surface
roughness, and not the depth of cut. Furthermore, low
values of surface roughness and cutting force were
obtained when the feed rate and depth of cut were kept
at low values (Ghani et al. 2004b). A low surface
roughness value is necessary to ensure the part is VB =0.0 VB =0.3
within the permitted tolerance.
mm mm
7
Surfa ce roughness (micron)

6 Figure 4 Machined surface topography at cutting

5 speed of 120 m/min, feed rate of 0.4mm/rev and depth
Vc=120m/min, f=0.15 of cut of 1.6 mm at various wear lands without any
4
mm/rev
3 changes to air conditions.
Vc=120 m/min, f=0.3
2 mm/rev
1 Vc=120m/min, f=0.4 Fig 3 and Fig 4 show the machined surface topography
0 mm/rev analysed using a confocal microscope at a cutting
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 speed of 120 m/min, feed rate of 0.15 mm/rev and
depth of cut (mm) depth of cut of 0.8 mm, and then at a cutting speed of
120 m/min, feed rate of 0.4mm/rev and depth of cut of
1.6 mm, at various wear lands without any changes to
Figure 2 Surface roughness vs. depth of cut air conditions. The machined surface topography
clearly shows that the machined surface is controlled
3.3 Surface Topography by the feed rate at the beginning of the cut, i.e. when
Böhm et al (2009) studied and compared three different the tool is still sharp (in good condition). As the tool
methods of analysing topographies and roughness on wears out, i.e. VB = 0.3 mm, the lay of the machined
machined metal surfaces using an atomic force surface is adversely affected regardless of the feed rate
364
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