Influence of tool flank wear width on roughness, topography, microhardness and electrochemical corrosion resistance in high speed milling

Owing to direct contact with the machined surface, the flank surface can cause unfavorable effects on the surface integrity in high speed milling. Thus, in this study, the influences of flank wear width on the main characteristics of surface integrity like roughness, topography, microhardness and electrochemical corrosion resistance during high speed milling process is investigated. Milling tests were performed under constant cutting conditions with three repetitions and using 12 tools with flank wear widths on the AISI 4340 hardened steel. It was concluded that using the tool with flank wear width up to 0.4 mm increase roughness and microhardness, uniformly (95% for surface roughness and 6.3% for microhardness relative to new tool). However, using a tool with the flank wear of 0.6 mm increases these outputs up to 484% and 18.6%, respectively. Surface topography images also revealed that using the tool with the flank wear width of 0.6 mm can cause irregular forms of material flow on the surface. Using the tool with the flank wear of 0.4 mm or less had an insufficient effect on the in-depth microhardness distribution. In addition, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of the milled surfaces showed that relative to new tool, using tools with 0.4 and 0.6 mm flank wear, reduce Rcorr up to 22% and 83%, respectively. It indicated lower electrochemical corrosion resistance of milled surfaces with 0.6 mm worn-out tools.