Abstract

(Received: 2015/01/20 - Accepted: 2015/03/25)The continuous improvement of manufacturing processes is critical to achieve optimum levels of productivity, quality and cut production of components and products. This research aims to determine the cutting tool flank wearing progression, during a high speed dry turning, for AISI 316L steel parts. Experimental data were acquired using two cutting feed levels, two material levels, three cutting speeds, and four principal cutting times. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to measure and analyze the wear of the cutting tools. Results were compared using analysis of variance and multiple regression for describing the relation between the variables used in the study. The analysis showed that the three layers coating insert did not exceed the end of life wearing criterion, while the one layer insert suffered a catastrophic wearing at the highest cutting speed. It was found that a relation exists between the experimental data and the predicted values for flank wear with a general average error of 4.1182%.