Coated cutting tool

Abstract

A coated cutting tool includes a body and a PVD coating disposed on the body. The body being cemented carbide, cermet, ceramics, polycrystalline diamond, polycrystalline cubic boron nitride based materials or a high speed steel. The coating includes a first layer of (Ti1-xAlx)N wherein 0.3≤x≤0.7, and a second layer of (Ti1-p-qAlp Siq)N with 0.15≤p≤0.45, and 0.05≤q≤0.20, wherein the second layer is deposited outside the first layer as seen in a direction from the body.

Claims

1. A coated cutting tool comprising: a body; and a PVD coating disposed on the body, wherein the body comprises cemented carbide, cermet, ceramics, polycrystalline diamond, polycrystalline cubic boron nitride based materials or a high speed steel, the coating including a first layer and a second layer, the first layer having a composition of (Ti.sub.1-xAl.sub.x)N with 0.3≤x≤0.7 and a thickness from 0.4 μm to 5.0 μm, and the second layer being a single layer having a composition of (Ti.sub.1-p-qAl.sub.p Si.sub.q)N with 0.15≤p≤0.45 and 0.08≤q≤0.20, wherein the second layer has a thickness from 0.5 μm to 3.0 μm and is arranged directly above the first layer as seen in a direction from the body, wherein the first layer includes a first sub-layer and a second sub-layer, the second sub-layer having a grain size, the first sub-layer having a columnar grain structure and being arranged closer to the body than the second sub-layer and having an average column width that is at least twice the grain size of the second sub-layer.

2. The coated cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein 0.60≤x≤0.67.

3. The coated cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein 0.20≤p≤0.40.

4. The coated cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein 0.08≤q≤0.18.

5. The coated cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein the second layer has a thickness from 1.0 μm to 3.0 μm.

6. The coated cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein the first sub-layer has a thickness that is from 0.2 μm to 1 μm, and the second sub-layer has a thickness from 0.2 μm to 2.0 μm.

7. The coated cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein the first sub-layer has an average column width that is from 50 nm to 200 nm and the second sub-layer has an average grain-size that is from 5 nm to 30 nm.

8. The coated cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein said body is cemented carbide comprising 4-15 wt % Co, 0-2 wt % Cr and a balance of WC.

9. The coated cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein the solid milling tool includes a cutting edge, a flank face, an outer diameter, a corner radius or a full radius, and an outer diameter, a ratio of the coating thickness, t.sub.w, measured on the flank face at a position at least 50 μm and at the most 100 μm from the cutting edge in a perpendicular direction from the cutting edge, and the coating thickness, t.sub.OD, measured on the flank face at a distance of 50% from a cutting diameter, Dc, and from a transition between the corner radius or the full radius, and the outer diameter, being from 0.7 to 1.2.

10. A coated cutting comprising: a body; and a PVD coating disposed on the body, wherein the body comprises cemented carbide, cermet, ceramics, polycrystalline diamond, polycrystalline cubic boron nitride based materials or a high speed steel, the coating including a first layer and a second layer, the first layer having a composition of (Ti.sub.1-xAl.sub.x)N with 0.3≤x≤0.7 and a thickness from 0.4 μm to 5.0 μm, and the second layer being a single layer having a composition of (Ti.sub.1-p-qAl.sub.p Si.sub.q)N with 0.15≤p≤0.45 and 0.08≤q≤0.20, wherein the second layer has a thickness from 0.5 μm to 3.0 μm and is arranged directly above the first layer as seen in a direction from the body, wherein the coating includes an outermost layer of (Ti.sub.1-p-qAl.sub.p Si.sub.q)N, where 0.15≤p≤0.45 and 0.05≤q≤0.20, and having a thickness that is from 0.05 μm to 0.8 μm, and where the outermost layer has a stress state that differs from the second layer.

11. A method for manufacturing a coated cutting tool according to claim 1 by applying physical vapor deposition (PVD) techniques, the method comprising: cleaning the body prior to deposition; and growing of the first layer and the second layer by using composite or alloyed (Ti,Al) and (Ti,Al,Si) cathodes, respectively, applying an evaporation current between 50 A and 200 A, using a reactive gas atmosphere comprising pure N2 or mixed N2 and, Ar gases at a total gas pressure from 1.0 Pa to 8.0 Pa, applying a negative substrate bias from 20 V to 300 V, and applying a deposition temperature from 200° C. to 800° C.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a schematic coating architecture build-up according to one embodiment of the invention.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a schematic coating architecture build-up according to one embodiment of the invention.

(3) FIG. 3 shows a schematic coating architecture build-up according to one embodiment of the invention.

(4) FIG. 4 shows a high feed solid milling tool or a torical solid milling tool with a dish angle of more than 4° and the positions for measuring the coating thickness.

(5) FIG. 5 a-c shows a full radius solid milling tool, also called a ball nose solid milling tool and the positions for measuring the coating thickness.

(6) FIG. 6 shows a TEM (transition electron microscope) picture of the coating according to an embodiment of the invention.

(7) FIG. 7 shows an example on how to measure a wear scar, flank wear, of a ball nose solid milling tool.

(8) FIG. 8 shows an X-ray diffractogram according to an embodiment of the invention.

DEFINITIONS

(9) Single layer; the term is used for a layer deposited by allowing the body pass through the deposition fluxes solely from one combination of cathode compositions and growth parameters. Often this sort of single layers contains a layered structure if analysed at high enough magnification due to the by time alternating deposition conditions because of the rotation.

(10) Laminated layer/coating; Generally, the laminated coatings structure, like variants A to C in example 1, are obtained by allowing the coating body to alternately pass through the deposition flux from at least two different cathode compositions used for growth of the different layers, at otherwise fixed deposition conditions. Since tools coated using a 3-fold rotation are not always passing in similar positions through the deposition flux in front of the evaporation sources of the different materials; no exact measures on wave length (the thickness of two subsequent layers of the different materials) or the individual layer thicknesses can be defined.

(11) Composition; For the (Ti,Al)N layers and (Ti,Al,Si)N layers it should be understood that the nitrogen content is preferably close to stoichiometric but could be allowed to vary in the interval of 90-110 at %. Additionally, the layers may contain some oxygen (O) and/or carbon (C) in concentration from 0 to 3 at %, preferably from 0 to 2 at % as determined by EDS, in spite of that the chemical nomination just a N has been used throughout the description. If magnetron sputtering is used as deposition technique from 0 to 3 at % argon (Ar) may be present in the coating.

(12) Grain size; The grain size and column width referred to in the description is based on analyse of the TEM micrographs for the coating 7 at a known magnification. Column width is used for the grain size when the grains are elongated in the growth direction of the layer and the layer thereby obtains a columnar grain-structure. The column width is the size of the grain perpendicular to its length direction.

(13) For measuring the column width of the grains of the first sub-layer 4, the average column width intersecting a first line parallel to the surface of the body 1 of 10 grains was measured. The first line is drawn in the middle of the first sub-layer 4 parallel to the surface of the body 1 and the length of the first line intercepting 10 grains is measured. By calculating the true length of the first line intercepting 10 grains and dividing the true length of the first line with ten the average column width for one grain is obtained.

(14) For measuring the grain size of the second sub-layer 5, the average size of 10 grains that are in reflection orientation (black) is measured. A second line is drawn in the middle of the second sub-layer 5 parallel to the surface of the body 1 and the combined length of the parts of the second line intercepting 10 grains that are in reflection orientation (black) is measured and calculated. By calculating the true length of the parts of the second line intercepting 10 grains and dividing the true length of the second line with ten the average grain size for one grain in the second sub-layer is obtained.

(15) For measuring the column width of the second layer 3, the average width of 10 columns intersecting a line parallel to the surface of the body 1 was measured. A third line is drawn in the middle of the second layer 3 parallel to the surface of the body 1 and the length of the third line intercepting 10 grains is measured. By calculating the true length of the third line intercepting 10 grains and dividing the true length of the third line with ten the average column width for one grain in the second layer 3 is obtained.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(16) According to one embodiment of the invention, schematically shown in FIG. 1, there is provided a coated cutting tool comprising a body 1 of, for example, a cemented carbide, and a hard and wear resistant coating 7 deposited by PVD on the body. The coating 7 comprising a first layer 2 being a single layer of (Ti.sub.1-xAl.sub.x)N where 0.3≤x≤0.7 and a second layer 3 of (Ti.sub.1-p-qAl.sub.p Si.sub.q)N where 0.15≤p≤0.45 and 0.05≤q≤0.20. The second layer 3 is deposited on and in contact with the first layer 2. The first layer has a thickness from 0.2 μm to 5.0 μm and the second layer has a thickness from 0.5 to 6.0 μm.

(17) FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention where the body 1 of the coated cutting tool is provided with a coating 7 comprising a first layer 2 being a single layer of (Ti.sub.1-xAl.sub.x)N where 0.3≤x≤0.7, and a second layer 3 of (Ti.sub.1-p-qAl.sub.p Si.sub.q)N where 0.15≤p≤0.45 and 0.05≤q≤0.20. The second layer is deposited on and in contact with the first layer 2. The first layer comprises a first sub-layer 4 and a second sub-layer 5, the first sub-layer being arranged closer to the substrate than the second sub-layer 5. The first sub-layer 4 has a thickness that is from 0.2 μm to 1 μm, and the second sub-layer 5 has a thickness from 0.2 to 2.0 μm.

(18) According to one embodiment of the present invention, schematically shown in FIG. 3, the coating described in connection with FIG. 2 is provided with an outermost layer 6 deposited on and in contact with the second layer 3. The outermost layer is a single layer of (Ti.sub.1-p-qAl.sub.pSi.sub.q)N, where 0.15≤p≤0.45 and 0.05≤q≤0.20, and has a thickness from 0.1 μm to 0.5 μm. The outermost layer has a different stress state and/or surface morphology than second layer 3. Additionally, the outermost layer has a lower Al- and/or Si-content than the second layer.

(19) FIG. 4 schematically shows a torical solid milling tool comprising a cutting edge 8, a rake face 9 and a flank face 10, an outer diameter 15, a corner radius 12, and a transition 14 between the corner radius 12, and the outer diameter 15. The coating or layer thickness, t.sub.w, as measured at a position at least 50 μm and at the most 100 μm from the cutting edge in a perpendicular direction on the flank face, and at a position 40% of the tool diameter out from the centre 11, is from 1.5 to 5 μm.

(20) FIG. 5 a-c shows a full radius solid carbide milling tool, also called ball nose solid carbide milling tool, comprises a cutting edge 8, a rake face 9, a flank face 10, an outer diameter 15, a full radius 13, and a transition 14 between the full radius 13, and the outer diameter. The coating or layer thickness, t.sub.w, as measured at a position at least 50 μm and at the most 100 μm from the cutting edge 8 in a perpendicular direction on the flank face, and at a position 25% of the tool diameter out from the centre 11, is from 1.5 to 5 μm.

(21) FIG. 6 shows a TEM (transition electron microscope) picture of the coating according to an embodiment of the invention where the body 1 of the coated cutting tool is provided with a coating 7 comprising a first layer 2 being a single layer of (Ti.sub.1-xAl.sub.x)N where 0.3≤x≤0.7, and a second layer 3 of (Ti.sub.1-p-qAl.sub.p Si.sub.q)N where 0.15≤p≤0.45 and 0.05≤q≤0.20. The second layer is deposited on and in contact with the first layer 2. The first layer comprises a first sub-layer 4 and a second sub-layer 5, the first sub-layer being arranged closer to the substrate than the second sub-layer 5 and is having an average column width that is at least twice the grain size of the second sub-layer. The first sub-layer 4 has a thickness that is from 0.2 to 1 μm, and the second sub-layer 5 has a thickness from 0.2 to 2.0 μm.

(22) FIG. 8 shows an θ-2θ X-ray diffractogram of one embodiment of the present invention verifying the sodium chloride structure of the as-deposited coating comprising a first (Ti,Al)N-based sub-layer 4 a second (Ti,Al)N-based sub-layer 5 and a (Ti,Al,Si)N-based second layer 3. The broad diffraction peak at about 43° in 2Θ (x-axis) is the (200) lattice planes, of a sodium chloride structure. The rest of the peaks not indexed originate from the WC:Co body 1. The coating phase detection was performed by X-ray diffractometry (XRD) using a Bruker AXS D8-advance x-ray diffractometer and Cu Kα radiation in θ-2θ (Bragg-Brentano) configuration. Typically, the detection limit for each phase in a polycrystalline mixed phase materials is less than 5 vol %. Since no other peaks originating from the coating are present all layers consist of cubic sodium chloride phase with some different lattice parameters. The (Ti,Al)N-based first sub-layer 4, the (Ti,Al)N-based second sub-layer 5, and the (Ti,Al,Si)N-based second layer 3 consists of a cubic sodium chloride phase. Additionally, the coating 7 may also contain amorphous phases with small amounts, close to the detection limit of the XRD technique.

(23) According to one embodiment of the invention, the body is a substrate for a coated cutting tool such as an end mill for machining by chip removal. The body comprises a body 1 of a hard alloy of cemented carbide, cermet, ceramics, polycrystalline diamond, cubic boron nitride (cBN) based material or high speed steel. The coating of this invention may also be used, for example, drills, threading taps, reamers, cutting inserts and other cuttings tools.

(24) The (Ti,Al,Si)N coating may further comprise one or more further metal elements Me in small amounts not substantially altering the properties of the claimed (Ti,Al,Si)N coating, e.g., resulting from impurities in the targets used in the PVD deposition process, e.g., less than 1 at %, or less than 0.5 at %, or less than 0.3 at %, or less than 0.1 at %, of the sum of Ti+Al+Si+Me in the coating. Me is one or more of Zr, Hf, Cr, V, Nb, Ta, Mo, Fe, and W.

(25) The second layer 3 may be a single layer comprising (Ti,Al,Me,Si)N where Me is one or several elements from group 4B, 5B and 6B of the periodic table, and Me is less than 5 at %.

(26) According to one embodiment the second layer 3 is a laminated layer based on (Ti.sub.1-p-qAl.sub.pSi.sub.q)N, where 0.15≤p≤0.40, and 0.05≤q≤0.20 and a second material TiN, (Ti,Al)N, (Ti,Al,Cr)N, (Cr,Al)N or other carbides and/or nitrides from group 4B, 5B and 6B of the periodic table.

EXAMPLES

Example 1

(27) A solid cemented carbide ball nose cutter of diameter 6 mm and an edge rounding of more than 3 μm, with a compositions of 9 wt % Co and 0.4 wt % Cr and a balance of WC, cohesive force, Hc, 39 kA/m, were used as a body for the coatings deposited by cathodic arc evaporation.

(28) Before deposition the tools were cleaned in ultrasonic baths of water based alkali solutions. The system was evacuated to a pressure of less than 2.0×10.sup.−3 Pa, after which the tools mounted on a 3-fold rotating fixture were sputter cleaned using Ar ions.

(29) A first layer being a (Ti,Al)N-based layer, consisting of a coarse grained (Ti.sub.1-xAl.sub.x)N layer with x˜0.65 deposited directly onto the cemented carbide body from composite cathodes of composition Ti/Al:33/67 at % in 3.5 Pa N.sub.2 atmosphere using a bias between −40 and −100V. The growth temperature was of about 500° C. and the arc evaporation current used were in the range of 100-200 A. The thickness of the (Ti,Al)N-based first layer was from 0.50 to 1.3 μm.

(30) Three different variants A, B and C of second layers, being abrasive wear resistant layers were deposited on the (Ti,Al)N-based first layers. The second layers consist of laminated structures consisting of alternating (Ti,Al)N and (Ti,Si)N layers, where the (Ti.sub.1-xAl.sub.x)N layer has x˜0.65, and the (Ti.sub.1-ySi.sub.y)N layers has y˜0.1 (variant A), y˜0.15 (variant B) and y˜0.2 (variant C). The deposition data for the laminated second layers were; 3.5 Pa N.sub.2 atmosphere using a bias of −80V, growth temperature of about 500° C. and an arc evaporation current in the range of 130-180 A. The thickness of the laminated second layers, were from 0.9 to 1.3 μm.

(31) The variant of the present innovation (variant D) had an abrasive wear resistant layer, corresponding to the second layer 3 in FIG. 1, with a composition of (Ti.sub.1-a-b Al.sub.aSi.sub.b)N.sub.c with a˜0.3, b˜0.12 and c˜1 (estimated from cathode composition). The growth of the second layer 3 was performed at 3.5 Pa N.sub.2 atmosphere using a bias −80V, growth temperature of about 500° C. and an arc evaporation current in the range of 130-200 A used for the composite target of the composition Ti/Al/Si: 52/33/15 at %.

(32) The copy milling test of a 3D shape was performed using the following cutting parameters; Application: Copy milling Work piece material: 1.2379 (62 HRc) Cutting speed: 170 m/min Fc: 0.11 mm Ae: 0.05 mm Ap: 0.05 mm Cooling MQL (minimal quantity lubrication) Performance criteria: Comparison of flank wear at a certain/different time in cut.
The average flank wear were estimated as described and showed in FIG. 7 where the wear is characterized by the average of 10 measurements distributed over the wear. FIG. 7 shows a wear scare of a solid cemented carbide ball nose cutter. The position of the centre 11 of the picture in FIG. 7 corresponds to centre 11 in FIG. 5. In table 7 the size of the wear scare is according to the following in the different positions: position 16 is 74 μm; position 17 is 52 μm; position 18 is 65 μm; position 19 is 66 μm; position 20 is 58 μm; position 21 is 55 μm; position 22 is 42 μm; position 23 is 66 μm; position 24 is 62 μm; and position 25 is 83 μm. The results of the test are shown in table 1.

(33) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Thickness Thickness Average First Second Milling flank layer Layer time wear Variant Description t.sub.OD (μm)* t.sub.OD (μm)* (min) (μm) A (Ti,Al)N + laminated (Ti,Al)N/ 0.54 0.94 270 97 Comparative (Ti.sub.1−y,Si.sub.y)N; y~0.1, x~0.65 B (Ti,Al)N + laminated (Ti,Al)N/ 1.3 2.7 360 71 Comparative (Ti.sub.1−y,Si.sub.y)N; y~0.15, x~0.65 C (Ti,Al)N + laminated (Ti,Al)N/ 0.55 1.26 270 97 Comparative (Ti.sub.1−y,Si.sub.y)N; y~0.2, x~0.65 D (Ti,Al)N + (Ti,Al,Si)N 1.3 1.6 540 80 Invention *t.sub.OD, the layer thickness as measured on the position of t.sub.OD in FIG. 5.
Example 1 clearly shows that the tool life is much longer using a cutting tool according to an embodiment of the invention.

Example 2

(34) In this example similar tools as in example 1 were coated. The first layer 2 was split into a first sub-layer 4 and second sub-layers 5 for variant F. The second sub-layer 5 consisted of a fine grained structure and the first sub-layer 4 consisted of a coarse grained structure like the ones seen for the sub-layers in FIG. 6. The second layer 3 was the same for both variant E and F and grown using the same data as for variant B in example 1. For variant F the second sub-layer 5 is about the double thickness of the first sub-layer 4. The column width of the first sub-layer 4 and the grain size of the second sub-layer 5 could be estimated to 100 nm and 15 nm, respectively. The results of the test are shown in table 2.

(35) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Thickness Thickness Second Thickness Milling Average First Layer sub-layer Second Layer time flank wear Variant Description t.sub.OD (μm)* t.sub.OD (μm)* t.sub.OD (μm)* (min) (um) E (Ti, Al)N + laminated 0.6 — 1.6 270 79 Comparative (Ti, Al)N/(Ti, Si.sub.y)N; y ~0.15 F (Ti, Al)N + (Ti, Al, Si)N 0.3 0.7 2.0 360 71 Invention *t.sub.OD, the layer thickness as measured on the position of t.sub.OD in FIG. 5.
Example 2 clearly shows that the tool life is increased when using g a cutting tool according to an embodiment of the invention, where the first layer 2 is partly fine grained.

Example 3

(36) In this example similar tools as in example 1 were coated with different coating thicknesses. The coating thickness on the outer diameter of the tool, t.sub.OD, was rather constant while the coating thickness at the end face t.sub.w, were varied for variants G, H and I, see table 3. The deposition data for the first layer 2 of (Ti,Al)N was as in example 1 and for the second layer 3 of (Ti,Al,Si)N as in example 1 for variant D. The different coating thickness distributions were obtained by using different geometrical arrangements of the tool in the deposition flux.

(37) A similar milling test as in example 1 was performed until a flank wear of 100 m were achieved. The results of the tests are shown in table 3.

(38) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Total thickness Total thickness Average first layer + first layer + Milling flank second layer second layer time wear Variant Description t.sub.OD (μm) t.sub.w (μm) (min) (um) G (Ti,Al)N + (Ti,Al,Si)N 3.2 1.5 420 100 Invention H (Ti,Al)N + (Ti,Al,Si)N 3.4 1.8 760 100 Invention I (Ti,Al)N + (Ti,Al,Si)N 3.2 3.5 1080 100 Invention * t.sub.OD, the coating thickness as measured on the position of top in FIG. 5.
The ratio, k, between the coating thickness of the second layer 3 being a (TiAlSi)N-layer and the first layer 2 being a (Ti,Al)N-layer, (thickness the second layer 3)/(thickness first layer 2), was kept in the range of 0.7-0.9.
Example 3 shows that the tool life could be further increased by optimising the coating thickness distribution with increasing t.sub.w but does not depend on the t.sub.OD for this type of tool geometry in a cutting tool according to an embodiment of the invention.

Example 4

(39) In this example similar tools as in example 1 were coated with different ratio, k (see definition in example 3), varying between 1.13 to 3.85. The results of the tests are shown in table 4.

(40) TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Thickness Thickness Milling Average First Layer 2 Second Layer 3 time flank wear Variant Description t.sub.OD (μm)* t.sub.OD (μm)* k (min) (μm) K (Ti, Al)N + laminate(Ti, Al) 0.54 0.95 1.76 270 97 Invention N/(Ti, Si.sub.y)N; y ~0.2 L (Ti, Al)N + laminate 0.33 1.27 3.85 270 73 Invention Ti, Al)N/(Ti, Si.sub.y)N; y ~0.2 *t.sub.OD, the layer thickness as measured on the position of t.sub.OD in FIG. 5.
Example 4 shows that the tool life could be further increased by optimising the layer thicknesses of the first and second layer towards increasing k value in a cutting tool according to an embodiment of the invention.

Example 5

(41) In this example similar tools as in example 1 are coated. Variant M and N are coated as variant F in example 2. The variant O is a single layer fine grained (Ti.sub.1-xAl.sub.x)N.sub.z layer with x˜0.65 and z˜1 which is the coating used for this sort of work piece materials today. The results of the tests are shown in table 5.

(42) The test was performed using following cutting data;

(43) Workpiece material: 1.2344 (53 HRC)

(44) Vc: 280 m/min

(45) Fz: 0.078 mm

(46) Ae: 0.05 mm

(47) Ap: 0.05 mm

(48) The variants were tested as in example 1 but the work piece material hardness was only HRC 53.

(49) TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Thickness Thickness Total Milling Average First Layer[2] Second Layer[3] thickness time flank wear Variant Description t.sub.OD (μm)* t.sub.OD (μm)* t.sub.OD (μm)* (min) (μm) M coarse + fine grained 1.3 2.1 3.4 800 40 Invention (Ti, Al)N + (Ti, Al, Si)N N coarse + fine grained 1.3 1.6 2.9 800 48 Invention (Ti, Al)N + (Ti, Al, Si)N O (Ti, Al)N fine grained 2.3 — 2.3 800 65 Comparative *t.sub.OD, the layer thickness as measured on the position of t.sub.OD in FIG. 5.
This example clearly shows that the tool life is increased when copy milling in softer materials and using a cutting tool according to an embodiment of the invention.

Example 6

(50) In this example solid carbide high feed milling tools with a diameter of 6 mm, a compositions of 9 wt % Co, 0.4 wt % Cr and a balance of WC, cohesive force, Hc, 39 kA/m, are coated. Variant P is coated as variant F in example 2. The variant Q is a single layer fine grained (Ti.sub.1-xAl.sub.x)N.sub.z layer with x˜0.65 and z˜1 which is the coating used for this sort of work piece materials today. The results of the tests are shown in table 6.
The test was performed using following cutting data:
Coolant: Emulsion
Workpiece Material: Ti6Al4V
Cutting Data:
Vc=115 m/min
n=6100 RPM
Vf=2440 mm/min
fz=0.1 mm
ap=0.15 mm
ae=4 mm

(51) TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 Thickness Thickness Total Milling Average First Layer[2] Second Layer[3] thickness distance flank wear Variant Description t.sub.OD (μm)* t.sub.OD (μm)* t.sub.OD (μm)* (m) (μm) P coarse + fine grained 1.3 1.6 2.9 114 107 Invention (Ti, Al)N + (Ti, Al, Si)N Q (Ti, Al)N fine grained 2.3 — 2.3 114 137 Comparative *t.sub.OD, the layer thickness as measured on the position of t.sub.OD in FIG. 5.
This example clearly shows that the tool life is increased in pocket milling of titanium alloys when using a cutting tool according to an embodiment of the invention.