This document summarizes the machinability of different metals. It discusses how the grain structure and microstructure of metals like steel, cast iron, aluminum, and copper affect their machinability. Certain modifications like adding sulfur or annealing can improve machinability by increasing tool life, producing better surface finishes, and requiring less power for machining. Factors like temperature, friction, feed rate, cutting speed, and the use of cutting fluids influence machinability. Maintaining a lower cutting temperature leads to longer tool life and better surface quality.
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2161909 130120119114
1. Gandhinagar Institute of Technology
Subject : Production Technology
(2161909)
Topic : Machinability of Metals
Mechanical : 6th : B
Prepared By :
Darshit Panchal (130120119114)
Guided By :
Prof. Sajan Chourasia
2. Machinability:
Ease or difficulty with which metal can be machines
Materials with good machinability require little power to cut, can be cut
quickly, easily obtain a good finish, and do not wear the tooling much; such
materials are said to be free machining.
3. Results of (Free Machining) Modifications:
Three main machining characteristics become evident
- Tool life is increased
- Better surface finish produced
- Lower power consumption required for machining
4. Grain Structure:
Machinability of metal affected by its microstructure
Ductility and shear strength modified greatly by operations
such as annealing, normalizing and stress relieving
Certain chemical and physical modifications of steel improve
machinability
- Addition of sulfur, lead, or sodium sulfite
- Cold working, which modifies ductility
5. Low Carbon Steel:
Large areas of ferrite interspersed with small areas of pearlite
- Ferrite: soft, high ductility and low strength
- Pearlite: low ductility and high strength
Combination of ferrite and iron carbide
More desirable microstructure in steel is when pearlite well distributed
instead of in layers
6. High Carbon Steel:
Greater amount of pearlite because of higher carbon content
- More difficult to machine steel efficiently
Desirable to anneal these steels to alter microstructures
- Improves machining qualities
7. Alloy Steel:
Combinations of two or more metals
Generally slightly more difficult to machine than low-or high-carbon
steels
To improve machining qualities
- Combinations of sulfur and lead or sulfur and manganese in proper
proportions added
- Combination of normalizing and annealing
Machining of stainless steel greatly eased by addition of selenium
8. Cast Iron:
Consists generally of ferrite, iron carbide, and free carbon
Microstructure controlled by addition of alloys, method of casting, rate
of cooling, and heat treating
White cast iron cooled rapidly after casting
- hard and brittle (formation of hard iron carbide)
Gray cast iron cooled gradually
- composed by compound pearlite, fine ferrite, iron carbide and flakes
of graphite (softer)
9. Cast Iron:
Machining slightly difficult due to iron carbide and presence of sand on
outer surface of casting
Microstructure altered through annealing
- Iron carbide broken down into graphitic carbon and ferrite
Easier to machine
Addition of silicon, sulfur and manganese gives cast iron different
qualities
10. Aluminum:
Pure aluminum generally more difficult to machine than aluminum
alloys
- Produces long stringy chips and harder on cutting tool
Aluminum alloys
- Cut at high speeds, yield good surface finish
- Hardened and tempered alloys easier to machine
- Silicon in alloy makes it difficult to machine
Chips tear from work (poor surface)
11. Copper:
Heavy, soft, reddish-colored metal refined from copper ore (copper sulfide)
- High electrical and thermal conductivity
- Good corrosion resistance and strength
- Easily welded, brazed or soldered
- Very ductile
Anneal: heat at 1200尊 F and quench in water
Does not machine well: long chips clog flutes of cutting tool
- Coolant should be used to minimize heat
12. Effects of Temperature & Friction:
Heat created
- Plastic deformation occurring in metal during process of forming chip
- Friction created by chips sliding along cutting-tool face
Cutting temperature varies with each metal and increases with cutting speed and rate of
metal removal
Greatest heat generated when ductile material of high tensile strength cut
Lowest heat generated when soft material of low tensile strength cut
Maximum temperature attained during cutting action
- affects cutting-tool life, quality of surface finish, rate of production and accuracy of
workpiece
13. Factors affecting surface Finish:
Feed rate
Nose radius of tool
Cutting speed
Temperature generated during machining process
14. Surface Finish:
Direct relationship between temperature of workpiece and quality of surface
finish
- High temperature yields rough surface finish
- Metal particles tend to adhere to cutting tool and form built-up edge
Cooling work material reduces temperature of cutting-tool edge
- Result in better surface finish
15. Effects of Cutting Fluids:
Perform three important functions
- Reduce temperature of cutting action
- Reduce friction of chips sliding along tool face
- Decrease tool wear and increase tool life
Three types of cutting fluids
- Cutting oils
- Emulsifiable (soluble) oils
- Chemical (synthetic) cutting fluids
16. Cutting Fluids:
Generally used for machining steel, alloy steel, brass and bronze with high-
speed steel cutting tools
Not used with cemented-carbide tools
If used, great quantities of cutting fluid are applied to ensure uniform
temperatures to prevent carbide inserts from cracking
Not generally used with cast iron, aluminum, and magnesium alloys
Good results have been found in some cases