Variations in the cutting performance of PVD-coated tools in milling Ti6Al4V, explained through temperature-dependent coating properties

The temperature-dependent coating properties, associated with the performance in milling Ti6Al4V at different cutting speeds, were investigated in the case of a PVD AlTiN coated tool. The cutting tests were complemented by nanoindentations and impact tests at temperatures ranging from ambient to 400 °C. The results obtained were linked to the acting phenomena at certain cutting speeds and were accompanied with FEM-supported investigations of the milling process, enabling the determination of the cutting temperatures and stresses. This combination of temperature-dependent properties offered significant insights in explaining the fluctuation of the coated tool life-span, against the very limited but more predictable performance of the same uncoated tool.