LAB SESSION 03

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the effects of cutting speed, feed rate and fluid on surface finish of mild steel.

APPARATUS

Lath machine, Vernire caliper, Steel ruler, Work piece (Mild Steel) 25 mm diameter, single point
tool, surface roughness machine, cutting fluid

Background

Surface roughness is a predominant characteristic in evaluating surface quality of the machined

component, which is included in the machining drawing. It’s usually related to correct
performance of a part. Hence, obtaining good surface quality is required in most machining
applications, so that it has a vital role in influencing the customer satisfaction in manufacturing,
however machined surface quality demands significantly affect cost of production and increase
the price of a product. Surface roughness is affected by many factors in machining process.
Machined components during their useful life are significantly influenced by surface roughness
which affects several properties such as; corrosion resistance and fatigue strength, wear
resistance, coefficient of friction, ability of distributing and holding a lubricant, load bearing
capacity, heat transmission, and coating. Therefore, control of the machined surface roughness is
essential, and appropriate processes parameters have to be selected to reach the desired surface
quality machined parts.

Surface roughness analysis

Surface texture is the repetitive or random deviation from the nominal surface that forms the
three dimensional topography of the surface. Surface texture includes (1) roughness (nano- and
micro roughness), (2) waviness (macro roughness), (3) lay, and (4) flaws. Figure 1 is a pictorial
display of surface texture with unidirectional lay (Anonymous, 1985).

Nano- and micro roughness are formed by fluctuations in the surface of short wavelengths,
characterized by hills (asperities) (local maxima) and valleys (local minima) of varying
amplitudes and spacings. These are large compared to molecular dimensions. Asperities are
referred to as peaks in a profile (two dimensions) and summits in a surface map (three
dimensions). Nano- and micro roughness include those features intrinsic to the production
process. These are considered to include traverse feed marks and other irregularities within the
limits of the roughness sampling length.

Waviness is the surface irregularity of longer wavelengths and is referred to as macro roughness.
Waviness may result from such factors as machine or work piece deflections, vibration, chatter,
heat treatment, or warping strains. Waviness includes all irregularities whose spacing is greater
than the roughness sampling length and less than the waviness sampling length.

Lay is the principal direction of the predominant surface pattern, ordinarily determined by the
production method.

Flaws are unintentional, unexpected, and unwanted interruptions in the texture. In addition, the
surface may contain gross deviations from nominal shape of very long wavelength, which is
known as errors of form. They are not normally considered part of the surface texture. A
question often asked is whether various geometrical features should be assessed together or
separately. What features are included together depends on the applications. It is generally not
possible to measure all features at the same time.
Fig. 1 Pictorial view of surface texture
Surface Roughness parameters

Ra – arithmetical mean roughness value: The arithmetical mean of the absolute values of the
profile deviations (Zi) from the mean line of the roughness profile (Figure 2).

Rmr(c) – material component of the profile: The fraction of a line, which, in sectioning a
profile, cuts through material at a stipulated height c above the mean line (in μm). Stated as a
percentage.

Rt – total height of the roughness profile: Difference between height Zp of the highest peak
and depth Zv of the deepest valley within the evaluation length ln (Figure 3).

RSM – mean peak width: Mean value of the width of the profile elements Xsi (previously Sm);
horizontal and vertical counting thresholds are stipulated for this evaluation (Figure 8).

Rzi – greatest height of the roughness profile: Sum of the height of the highest profile peak
and the depth of the deepest profile valley, relative to the mean line, within a sampling length lri.

Rz1max – maximum roughness depth: Largest of the five Rzi values from the five sampling
lengths lri within the evaluation length ln.

Rz – mean roughness depth: Mean value of the five Rzi values from the five sampling lengths
lri within the evaluation length ln.

Fig 2 Arithmetic mean surface roughness value Ra

 Fig. 3 Total height of the roughness profle Rt, mean roughness depth Rz and maximum
roughness depth Rz1max

Fig. 4 The mean groove spacing RSM is the mean value of the spacing Xsi of the
profile elements

Fig. 5 The material component curve of the profile depicts the material component
Rmr(c) of the profile as a function of the section height c (Abbott-Firestone curve)

Maximum roughness depth Rz1max for surfaces in which individual deviations have a
significant influence on the function of the surface, e.g. sealing surfaces.

Material component of the profile Rmr(c) for guide surfaces and sealing surfaces moving
against one another.

Mean roughness depth Rz as a rule for all other surfaces.

The arithmetical mean roughness value Ra is hardly affected by individual peaks or valleys
because it is the mean value of the whole profile. It is, therefore, only of minor importance.

Measurement of Surface roughness

Various instruments are available for the roughness measurement. The measurement technique
can be divided into two broad categories: (a) a contact type in which during measurement a
component of the measurement instrument actually contacts the surface to be measured; and (2)
a noncontact type. A contact-type instrument may damage surfaces when used with a sharp
stylus tip, particularly soft surfaces. For these measurements, the normal loads have to be low
enough so that the contact stresses do not exceed the hardness of the surface to be measured. We
will divide the different techniques into six categories based on the physical principle involved:
mechanical stylus method, optical methods, scanning probe microscopy (SPM) methods, fluid
methods, electrical method, and electron microscopy methods.

Stylus method

This method uses an instrument that amplifies and records the vertical motions of a stylus
displaced at a constant speed by the surface to be measured. The stylus is mechanically coupled
mostly to a linear variable differential transformer (LVDT), an optical or a capacitance sensor.
The stylus arm is loaded against the sample and either the stylus is scanned across the stationary
sample surface using a traverse unit at a constant speed or the sample is transported across an
optical flat reference. As the stylus or sample moves, the stylus rides over the sample surface
detecting surface deviations by the transducer. It produces an analog signal corresponding to the
vertical stylus movement. This signal is then amplified, conditioned, and digitized (Figure 6 and
7).
 Figure 6 Stylus method of measurement

Stylus Pressure knob Display

Surface roughness machine parts

Surface roughness values for different manufacturing processes

Lathe safety

As always we should be aware of safety requirements and attempt to observe safety rules in
order to eliminate serious injury to ourselves or others.

Wear glasses, apron, safety shoes, short sleeves, no tie, no rings, no trying to stop the work by
hand. Stop the machine before trying to check the work. Don’t know how it works? –“Don’t run
it.” Don’t use rags when the machine is running.

 Remove the chuck key from the chuck immediately after use. Do not turn the lathe on if
the chuck is still in the chuck key.
 Move the tool bit to a safe distance from the chuck, collet, or face plate when inserting or
removing your part.
  Place the tool post holder to the left of the compound slide. This will ensure that the
compound slide will not run into the spindle or chuck attachments.
 Never run the machine faster than the recommended speed for the specific material.
 If a chuck or faceplate is jammed on the spindle nose, contact an instructor to remove it.
 If any filing is done on work revolving in the lathe, file left handed to prevent slipping
into the chuck.
 Always stop the machine before taking measurements.
 Use care when cleaning the lathe, the cutting tools is sharp, the chips are sharp, and the
work piece may be sharp.
 Make sure the machine is turned off and clean before leaving the workspace. Always
remove the chuck key after use, and keep floor area clean.

PROCEDURE

 Measure initial dimensions of work piece by using Vernier caliper.

 Clamp work piece in the 3-jaw chuck of lathe
machine by using chuck key.

 Center the work piece by placing the steel rule

between work piece and tool. The tool is centered
when steel rule is vertical otherwise it will be high or
low depending upon steel rule direction (shown in
figure)
 Clean the tool post, properly place the tool in the
tool post and tight the bolt.

 The cutting tool is first adjusted for the desired depth

of cut, using the cross slide. Depth of cut will be
given by reading the value on the scale of cross slide

 Set the required value of feed rate by selecting the value given in machine table. Lever
position show the value in row A,B, C while column values a,b,c,…. will be selected by
changing the tabular lever (Shown in figures below).

Hand lever (postions A,B,C) Tabular lever (positions a,b,c…)

 Select the value of spindle rotation (RPM) by
positioning the two RPM knobs on machine.
  Once you set all parameters on machine
(above steps), turn on your machine by
moving ON/OFF lever (switch) toward right
or left and perform turning operation.
Spindle will move clockwise by moving the
lever in right direction and vice versa.

 After every cut measure the surface roughness value by using surface roughness
machine as explain in measurement section
 Determine optimal values of speed, feed and depth of cut to achieve the following
values of surface roughness (Ra µm):
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3

EXPERIMENT DOMAIN

Domains Psychomotor (70%) Affective (20%) Cognitive (10%)

Attributes Realization of Conducting Precision Safety rules Team work Understanding
experiment Experiment (How much (Receiving/ (Respond/
(Awareness) (Act) adequate in how much contribute)
performance) pursue)
Taxonomy P1 P2 P3 A1 A2 C2
level
Max. 5 5 5 3 3 2
marks
Obtained
marks
Student lab report will consist of following:

 Objective
 Apparatus/ materials
 Procedure
 Observations and calculations (See attachment)
 Results and discussions
Make graph between
i. cutting speed vs surface roughness
ii. feed vs surface roughness
iii. depth of cut vs surface roughness
 Precautions
 Comments
 Attachment

Observation and calculations

Surface roughness
Sr# Cutting speed (v) Feed (f) Depth of cut
(Ra)

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