skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Analyzing the performance of diamond-coated micro end mills.

Abstract

A method is presented to improve the tool life and cutting performance of 300 {micro}m diameter tungsten carbide (WC) micro end mills by applying thin (<300 nm) fine-grained diamond (FGD) and nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) coatings using the hot-filament chemical vapor deposition (HF-CVD) process. The performance of the diamond-coated tools has been evaluated by comparing their performance in dry slot milling of 6061-T6 aluminum against uncoated WC micro end mills. Tool wear, coating integrity, and chip morphology were characterized using SEM and white light interferometry. The initial test results show a dramatic improvement in the tool integrity (i.e., corners not breaking off), a lower wear rate, no observable adhesion of aluminum to the diamond-coated tool, and a significant reduction in the cutting forces (>50%). Reduction of the cutting forces is attributed to the low friction and adhesion of the diamond coating. However, approximately 80% of the tools coated with the larger FGD coatings failed during testing due to delamination. Additional machining benefits were attained for the NCD films, which was obtained by using a higher nucleation density seeding process for diamond growth. This process allowed for thinner, smaller grained diamond coatings to be deposited on the micro end mills, and enabledmore » continued operation of the tool even after the integrity of the diamond coating had been compromised. As opposed to the FGD-coated end mills, only 40% of the NCD-tools experienced delamination issues.« less

Authors:
; ; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
OSTI Identifier:
957388
Report Number(s):
ANL/CNM/JA-62610
Journal ID: ISSN 0890-6955; IMTME3; TRN: US201002%%956
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC02-06CH11357
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Int. J. Machine Tools Manufact.
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 49; Journal Issue: 7-8 ; Jun. 2009; Journal ID: ISSN 0890-6955
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
ENGLISH
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; ADHESION; ALUMINIUM; CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION; COATINGS; DIAMONDS; FRICTION; INTERFEROMETRY; MACHINING; MILLING; MORPHOLOGY; NUCLEATION; PERFORMANCE; TESTING; TUNGSTEN CARBIDES

Citation Formats

Torres, C D, Heaney, P J, Sumant, A V, Hamilton, M A, Carpick, R W, Pfefferkorn, F E, Univ. of Wisconsin at Madison, and Univ. of Pennsylvania. Analyzing the performance of diamond-coated micro end mills.. United States: N. p., 2009. Web. doi:10.1016/j.ijmachtools.2009.02.001.
Torres, C D, Heaney, P J, Sumant, A V, Hamilton, M A, Carpick, R W, Pfefferkorn, F E, Univ. of Wisconsin at Madison, & Univ. of Pennsylvania. Analyzing the performance of diamond-coated micro end mills.. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmachtools.2009.02.001
Torres, C D, Heaney, P J, Sumant, A V, Hamilton, M A, Carpick, R W, Pfefferkorn, F E, Univ. of Wisconsin at Madison, and Univ. of Pennsylvania. 2009. "Analyzing the performance of diamond-coated micro end mills.". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmachtools.2009.02.001.
@article{osti_957388,
title = {Analyzing the performance of diamond-coated micro end mills.},
author = {Torres, C D and Heaney, P J and Sumant, A V and Hamilton, M A and Carpick, R W and Pfefferkorn, F E and Univ. of Wisconsin at Madison and Univ. of Pennsylvania},
abstractNote = {A method is presented to improve the tool life and cutting performance of 300 {micro}m diameter tungsten carbide (WC) micro end mills by applying thin (<300 nm) fine-grained diamond (FGD) and nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) coatings using the hot-filament chemical vapor deposition (HF-CVD) process. The performance of the diamond-coated tools has been evaluated by comparing their performance in dry slot milling of 6061-T6 aluminum against uncoated WC micro end mills. Tool wear, coating integrity, and chip morphology were characterized using SEM and white light interferometry. The initial test results show a dramatic improvement in the tool integrity (i.e., corners not breaking off), a lower wear rate, no observable adhesion of aluminum to the diamond-coated tool, and a significant reduction in the cutting forces (>50%). Reduction of the cutting forces is attributed to the low friction and adhesion of the diamond coating. However, approximately 80% of the tools coated with the larger FGD coatings failed during testing due to delamination. Additional machining benefits were attained for the NCD films, which was obtained by using a higher nucleation density seeding process for diamond growth. This process allowed for thinner, smaller grained diamond coatings to be deposited on the micro end mills, and enabled continued operation of the tool even after the integrity of the diamond coating had been compromised. As opposed to the FGD-coated end mills, only 40% of the NCD-tools experienced delamination issues.},
doi = {10.1016/j.ijmachtools.2009.02.001},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/957388}, journal = {Int. J. Machine Tools Manufact.},
issn = {0890-6955},
number = 7-8 ; Jun. 2009,
volume = 49,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2009},
month = {Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2009}
}