Modelling and optimization of surface roughness in hard turning

Today hardened steel components with high surface finish are gaining importance in several engineering applications due to growing demand of high precision components to attain peak performances. In engineering industries, hot and cold work tool steels, high speed steels, bearing steels, die steels, heat-treated steels and case hardened steels are broadly used for making the dies and moulds, machine tools and automotive parts. The hardness of workpiece materials is normally higher than 45 HRC with high indentation resistance, high abrasiveness, low ductility and high value of hardness-to-modulus of elasticity ratio makes these materials hard also difficult-to-machine and in particular the machinability of these materials is extremely poor. Owing to theses complexities, the task to machine a component with deterministic precision becomes challenging. The conventional approach for the production of these parts involves a series of processes including time-consuming and costly grinding and polishing operations.