Toward Sustainable Machining: Design and Fabrication of Micro-Textures on Solid Carbide Endmill Using Laser Micromachining

The modern machining industry is in a constant state of search for innovative approaches that can effectively improve productivity maintaining sustainability. Micro-texturing on the cutting tools is one of the innovative methods to improve the performance of the tool. The critical aspect of research related to micro-textured surfaces includes identifying the right texturing pattern, texturing intensity, and method. This article investigates the exploration of implementing projected sinusoidal curves as a novel micro-texturing pattern on the rake face of solid carbide endmill flutes, with a specific focus on the immense potential it holds in revolutionizing machining processes. A simulation using the textured tool was performed to study the chip formation, principal stress, and deflection during the machining process and is compared in the non-textured tool. The result of the study shows a better performance of the micro-textured endmill in comparison with the non-textured endmill. Micro-texturing is accomplished by employing advanced laser technology to create precise and controlled sinusoidal curves on the end mill surfaces at a micro-scale level. The average width and depth of the micro-texture on the endmill is found to be 93 µm and 101 µm respectively.