Cutting forces while machining STAVAX ESU with binderless-cBN

Binderless-cubic-Boron-Nitride(cBN) from the company SUMITOMO CORPORATION, Itami, Japan, provides the opportunity for direct cutting of steel with ultra-precision quality without additional equipment or coating of the workpiece. This work presents the latest results in the field of ultra-precision machining of hardened stainless steel with binderless-cBN. In this paper the influence of the cutting speed vc, the feed f, the depth of cut ap, and the cooling lubricant on the cutting force Fc is shown for turning the stainless steel STAVAX ESU. The cutting speed, the feed and the depth of cut were varied between 3 m/min < vc < 450 m/min, 0.9 mm < f < 9.7 mm, and 5 mm < ap < 30 mm respectively. As cooling lubricants compressed air and W200SL of the company OPORTET, Duisburg, Germany, with a volumetric flow rate & = 1 l/min were used. For measuring the cutting forces Fc the piezoelectric dynamometer MINIDYN 9256C2 from the KISTLER INSTRUMENTE AG, Middlefield, USA, was used. As a result of this work cutting forces Fc < 4.9 N could be observed with an inconstant progression over the varied process parameters.