Abstract
•Two types of modified Xcel insert abbreviated as A1 and A2 were evaluated at 1- and 2-mm depths of cut, respectively.•The modified inserts showed simultaneously higher material removal and better surface roughness than conventional inserts.•Unlike other conventional inserts, the crater wear was absent in these modified inserts.•A1 inserts showed significantly higher tool life than A2 insert.•The modified inserts can perform roughing and finishing in a single step, thus promoting sustainable machining.
Limitations are associated with each type of tooling, and manufacturers continuously strive to limit the tool geometries' drawbacks. Recently, a modified tool geometry, called the Xcel insert, has been fabricated by combining the benefits of various tooling. Two Xcel insert variations are introduced for chamfer provision, one for 1-mm (A1) and the other for 2-mm (A2) depths of cut, for turning hardened D2 steel. The output responses were measured to determine tool life, wear mechanisms, material removal, power consumption, workpiece surface roughness, microhardness, and microstructure and compared those of recently published works on AISI D2 steel turning. The Xcel inserts have outperformed conventional and wiper inserts concerning material removal, and the workpiece surface roughness (Ra = 0.38 μm) is also comparable or better. The softening of workpiece material (10–20%) was noticed adjacent to the machined sub-surface at a depth of 150 μm without any white-layer formation or microstructural damage. One-step sustainable machining approach, where feed rate and depth of cut are corresponding to roughing applications, while the workpiece roughness is comparable to that of finished machining, is feasible with Xcel inserts. That is comparable or better results could be achieved with fewer resources, including less cycle time. Furthermore, due to lower energy consumption, low tool wear, and better surface integrity, the use of A1 inserts is recommended over A2 inserts.