An Investigation of Surface Roughness Obtained in Hard Milling of AISI W1

Abstract

Hard milling is considered to be a precise and efficient machining method for the die and mold manufacturing industry. The main criterion for evaluating the cutting processes of the parts designed for these applications is the quality of the machined surfaces. For this reason, the analysis of the factors that influence the surface roughness obtained in this processes is important for helping the process become more productive and competitive. The present paper presents some results and an empirical model for surface roughness when high speeds face milling of AISI W1 tool steel. The influence of cutting parameters and material hardness is investigated by using Taguchi design of experiments. The results obtained show that high speed face milling of hardened tool steel AISI W1 can be carried out in economical conditions(on plant milling machines) and can lead to satisfactory surface quality (Ra =0.2-0.36 μm).