Jurnal
Full Paper
Teknologi
CHIP FORMATION WHEN MACHINING INCONEL
718 UNDER MINIMUM QUANTITY LUBRICATION
Authora, The Corresponding Authorb*, Co Authora
aSchool
of Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Campus, UXM,
14320, Nibong Tebal, Penang, Malaysia
bSchool of Aerospace Engineering, Engineering Campus, UYM,
14350, District, State, Country
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ABSTRACT
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85:1 (2020) 1–5 | www.jurnalteknologi.utm.my | eISSN 2180–3722 |
Article history
Received
X Month 201Y
Received in revised form
XA Month 201Y
Accepted
XB Month 201Y
Published Online
XC Month 201Z
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Abstract
The objective of this study is to evaluate the influence of MQL on chip
formation when cutting Inconel 718 under high-speed machining. In this
experimental work, Inconel 718 is finish-turning with CNC lathe using PVD
coated TiAlN tungsten carbide tools. The cutting speeds are 90, 120 and 150
m/min, the feeds are 0.10 and 0.15 mm/rev whilst the cutting depth are 0.30
and 0.50 mm. The MQL flow rates are set between 50 and 100 mL/h. The
chips of Inconel 718 under dry and MQL machining were collected,
differentiated, and analyzed. The chip morphology studies suggest that MQL
manages to lower the cutting temperature when machining Inconel 718 at
90 and 120 m/min. At 150 m/min, thicker chip thicknesses and lower shear
angles were obtained, very similar to result reported in wet machining, thus
diminished machinability performance.
Keywords: Chip formation, chip morphology, inconel 718, lathe, MQL
Abstrak
Objektif kajian ini adalah untuk menilai keberkesanan MQL terhadap
pembentukan serpihan pada pemotongan Inconel 718 di bawah
pemesinan laju tinggi. Dalam eksperimen pelarikan penyudah Inconel 718
ini, mesin larik (CNC) digunakan bersama mata alat bersalut tungsten
karbida TiAlN PVD. Laju pemotongan adalah 90, 120 dan 150 m/min dengan
kadar suapan pada 0.10 dan 0.15 mm/pusingan dan dalam pemotongan
pada 0.30 dan 0.50 mm. Kadar MQL pula adalah pada 50 dan 100 mL/j.
Serpihan Inconel 718 hasil daripada pemotongan kering dan MQL telah
dikumpul, diasing dan dianalisis. Kajian terhadap morpologi serpihan
mencadangkan bahawa MQL mampu menurunkan suhu pemotongan
Inconel 718 pada laju pemotongan 90 dan 120 m/min. Pada 150 m/min,
serpihan yang tebal dan sudut ricih yang kecil telah diperolehi di mana
keputusannya hampir serupa dengan hasil yang dilaporkan dari pemesinan
banjir, sekaligus menjejaskan prestasi kebolehmesinan.
Kata kunci: Pembentukan serpihan, morfologi serpihan, Inconel 718, larik,
MQL
© 2020 Penerbit UTM Press. All rights reserved
2 Azizul, Elmi & Muhammad Zaim / Jurnal Teknologi (Sciences & Engineering) 85:1 (2020) 1–5
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL) is an
environmentally friendly technique in which small
amounts of vegetable oil or biodegradable synthetic
ester are dispersed near the cutting zone assisted by
compressed air. When employed, the usage of the
dangerous cutting fluid may be eliminated, thus
haphazard against mankind and the environment
could be avoided. Currently, application of MQL is
still limited to low cutting speed when machining
Inconel 718 and other aerospace materials.
In the metal cutting industries, dry cutting has
received much attention because of the high cost of
cutting fluids at about 17% of the total manufacturing
cost [1]. Treatment of cutting fluid waste is required
before disposal as it is machine operators may be
exposed to dangerous risks such as skin cancer and
difficulty breathing [2]. Thus, dry cutting is desirable
because not only it reduces manufacturing cost, but
also minimizes all the adverse effects associated with
the application of the cutting fluid.
Typically, the application of cutting fluids offers
some crucial purposes, particularly to enhance
productivity and cutting performance, such as
improved surface quality of the machined work
piece and dimensional stability. This is feasible due to
the cutting fluids allow cutting processes to be
executed at much higher speed, higher feed rates,
and greater cutting depth [3]. Cutting fluids not only
extend tool life, generate an improved surface
roughness and dimensional accuracy, but also
reduces power consumption [4]. Apart from that,
cutting fluids assists flush away excessive heat and
chips during the cutting processes [5]. High speed
machining to machine Inconel 718 has long been
researched to increase cutting productivity [6]. the
other hand, Xinyu and Jun [8] found helical-like chip
when Inconel 718 was machined with ceramic
cutting tool SNGN 120408 at 178 and 281 m/min, 0.30
mm/rev and 0.10 mm. In their experiments, slightly
larger helical chips were formed at lower cutting
speed.
Su et al. [7] conducted turning experiment of
Inconel 718 in a dry condition with TiAlN SNMG
120408 coated carbide tool at 76 m/min, 0.10
mm/rev and 0.50 mm, and found continuous tubular-
like chips. On
This paper reports the influence of MQL on chip
formation when finish turning Inconel 718 using single
layer PVD coated TiAIN carbide tool at high cutting
speed. In this experiment, the effect of lubricating
method, cutting speeds, cutting depth and feed rate
on chip formation were also observed, investigated
and analyzed.
2.0 METHODOLOGY
The experimental processes were performed on
FANUC Colchester T4 CNC lathe machine that is
equipped alongside maximum power of 11kW and
spindle at 6000 rpm. The dimension of elected work
piece of Inconel 718 was 157 and 103 mm
representing length and diameter, respectively. The
cutting tool employed is PVD coated TiAlN on
tungsten carbide tools. The thickness of the work
piece is 3 mm was skimmed off to eliminate any
surface defects that could adversely compromise
the machining result. The experiments were
developed using mixed level full factorial design of
experiment (DOE) as exhibited in Table 1.
Sample of chips were collected at the end of each
cutting cycle. All the samples from each cutting
cycle were sorted and gathered for each
experimental condition and averaged by making
careful observation with naked eyes and using
MITUTOYO Tool Maker microscope.
Table 1 Multi-Level Design of Experiments
Factor Level
-1 0 +1
Cutting speed (v), m/min 90 120 150
Feed rate (f), mm/rev 0.10 - 0.15
Depth of cut (d), mm 0.30 - 0.50
3.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Careful observation on the collected chips from
each of the experimental runs shows that the types of
chip morphology, that is the size, curl radius and
shape, depends on the machining parameters. Dry
machining seems to produce larger curl radius than
MQL machining. There is no clear distinction on
different cutting speed, however at a lower feed rate
of 0.10 mm/rev, snarled helical chips were collected.
In this study, we also found short tubular chips but in
very small quantities. Figure 1 shows collected chips
at various cutting conditions.
The collected chips from various experimental runs
also show significant color changes. The color of the
chip changed from gold to dark gold color gives
indication that the temperature at the cutting zone
may be difference. Bright silvery color chips indicate
lower temperatures as suggested by Kramar et al. [9].
In our observation, during dry machining, the gold
color changed to dark gold color when at higher
cutting speed, which suggests that the cutting
temperature has increased as well. With MQL, the
color changed from silver to gold and then dark gold
color, which also suggests that the temperature
increased as the cutting speed increases. The trend
in color changes insinuates that the temperature at
the cutting zone under MQL machining is lower than
dry machining. Bandyopadhyay and Endapally [10]
found similar results in their turning experiment. Fig. 2
shows a few samples of colored chips collected in
the MQL and dry machining. Based on this
observation, it is possible that MQL machining is
3 Azizul, Elmi & Muhammad Zaim / Jurnal Teknologi (Sciences & Engineering) 85:1 (2020) 1–5

Figure 1 Helical and snarled helical chips at various conditions

Figure 2 Chip color at end of tool life a) Silver b) Dark Silver c) Dark burnt Blue

capable to reduce the temperature at the cutting
zone when turning Inconel 718. Chips collected from
MQL machining were also shinier than dry machining.
This condition may suggest that MQL machining
manage to reduce the friction at the rake face when
the chip sliding out from the cutting zone, and
potentially reduces the build-up edge formation.
Dark burnt-like blue chips were only found in dry
machining at 150 m/min, with feed rate of 0.10
mm/rev and depth of cut of 0.30 mm. Machining
with these parameters produced thinner chip
because of small cutting volume. Heat localization
may have occurred, causing high shear at higher
temperature, thus resulting in dark burnt-blue chips.
However, this condition did not occur during MQL
machining with similar machining parameters.
Localization of heat did not take place during MQL
machining because the MQL fluids may have
efficiently reduced the cutting temperature at the
cutting zone.
The preliminary observations made on the
collected chips from the experimental runs using
high-power microscope found cyclic type saw-tooth
chips regardless of machining conditions. The effects
of machining conditions such as cutting speeds and
machining methods were only visible when details
observation was made on the crack initiation angle
and saw-tooth angle. Figure 3 compares saw-tooth
chip collected from dry and MQL 100 mL/h
machining. There is a significant different between
these two chips in term of both crack initiation angle
and saw-tooth angle. Chips from MQL 100 mL/h
machining methods seem to be sharp pointy with
small saw-tooth angle. Distances between saw-tooth
segments are also much closer than that of dry
method.
Figure 4 compares the effects of MQL flow rate,
that is between 50 and 100 mL/h. Saw-tooth chips
collected from these two machining methods were
analysed under microscope and found to be almost
identical with small different in term of crack initiation
angle and saw-tooth angle. However, saw-tooth
chip from MQL 100 mL/h has slightly sharper saw-
tooth angle than MQL 50 mL/h. Sharp saw-tooth
angle with large crack initiation angle gives
indication of severe cutting condition in term of
thermal effect and mechanical stress at the cutting
zone.
4 Azizul, Elmi & Muhammad Zaim / Jurnal Teknologi (Sciences & Engineering) 85:1 (2020) 1–5

Figure 3 Effect of machining method on chip formation at cutting speed of 150 m/min, feed rate 0.15 mm/rev and depth of
cut 0.50 mm at end of tool life a) DRY b) MQL 100 mL/h

Figure 4 Effect of machining method on chip formation at end of tool life a) MQL 50 mL/h (150 m/min, 0.10 mm/rev, 0.30 mm)
b) MQL 100 mL/h (150 m/min, 0.10 mm/rev, 0.50 mm)

Figure 3b shows a long strip of white layer beneath
the saw-tooth chip that is not found on Figure 4b,
when both are coming from MQL 100 mL/h
condition. Chips from Figure 3b are slightly thicker
than Figure 4b due to higher feed rate. As a result,
these chips were slower when they sliding out, and
thus spent more time in the cutting zone. This white
layer is an indication of hardened layers that was
formed as a result of severe thermal and mechanical
stresses as they were passing through the cutting
zone. Furthermore, at MQL 100 mL/h condition, the
amount of MQL lubricant doubles than MQL 50 mL/h.
With the presence of more lubricant and larger
temperature gradient, it is suspected that the severe
effects on the chips were supplemented by rapid
quenching.
color chips were found at higher cutting speed. With
MQL machining, the color of the chips gives
indication that the temperature was much lower
than dry machining. The performance of MQL 100
mL/h deteriorated at 150 m/min, suspected due to
rapid quenching. At 150 m/min, thicker chip thickness
and lower shear angle were obtained, very similar to
result reported in wet machining, thus diminished
machinability performance.
Acknowledgement
The authors would like to thank Universiti Kuala
Lumpur Short-Term Research Grant (STR 15051) for the
funding to carry out this research work.

4.0 CONCLUSION
The results from chip morphology study suggest that
MQL succeeds to lower the cutting temperature
when machining Inconel 718. Silvery color chips were
found at lower cutting speed. Darker silver and gold
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