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Sub Zero Cryo Treatment for WC-Co Inserts and its Performance Study during Milling EN8 Steel

Mogana Priya Chinnasamy, Swetha R Kumar, Sakshi V. Patil, Rajasekar Rathanasamy

Abstract


The research study investigates the application of cryogenic treatment as a green manufacturing strategy to enhance the performance of cutting tools in the dry milling of EN8 medium-carbon steel. Titanium Aluminium Nitritae (TiAlN)-coated Tungsten Carbide-Cobalt (WC–Co) inserts were cryogenically treated at −196 °C for varying soaking durations (6, 18, and 30 hours) and evaluated for their mechanical and tribological properties. The results showed significant improvements in hardness, with microhardness testing revealing increases of 0.63%, 15.32%, and 9.46% for the 6-, 18-, and 30-hour treatments, respectively. Microscopy observations indicated the formation of η-carbide, which contributed to enhanced tool performance. Dry milling experiments were conducted using an L8 orthogonal array design to evaluate the effects of cryogenic treatment on tool wear, surface roughness, and material removal rate (MRR). The results demonstrated that cryogenic treatment reduced wear, improved surface finish, and increased MRR, with the 18-hour treated tool exhibiting superior performance. Specifically, it achieved approximately a 35.9% reduction in surface roughness, a 55.56% reduction in tool wear, and a 20.5% increase in MRR compared to the untreated tool. Single-response optimization using Taguchi’s Signal-to-Noise ratio and predictive modeling with Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) identified the optimal cutting conditions for individual responses. Multi-response optimization using the DEAR (Data Envelopment Analysis-based Ranking) method integrated with Taguchi’s Multi-Response Performance Index (MRPI) determined the optimal cutting parameters to be a cutting speed of 750 rpm, a feed rate of 0.15 mm/rev, and a depth of cut of 0.50 mm. This study establishes the effectiveness of cryogenic treatment as a green manufacturing strategy for extending tool life and improving machining productivity in industrial applications.

Keywords



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DOI: 10.14416/j.asep.2026.07.005

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