Mechanism of Cutting Performance Enhancement of YG8N Tools by Tesla Valve Micro-texturing

LI Jing; YANG Fazhan; JIANG Fulin; YANG Yu; CHEN Anqi; WANG Xue; LI Guangdi; YAN Shibin

doi:10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2025.24.017

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Surface Technology ›› 2025, Vol. 54 ›› Issue (24) : 207-219. DOI: 10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2025.24.017

Precision and Ultra-precision Machining

Mechanism of Cutting Performance Enhancement of YG8N Tools by Tesla Valve Micro-texturing

LI Jing^1,2, YANG Fazhan^1,2,*, JIANG Fulin¹, YANG Yu¹, CHEN Anqi¹, WANG Xue¹, LI Guangdi¹, YAN Shibin¹

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Abstract

Titanium alloys are widely used in aerospace, biomedical, and automotive industries due to their excellent strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance. However, they are also known as typical difficult-to-machine materials, primarily because of issues such as rapid tool wear and low machining efficiency during cutting. The work aims to mitigate these challenges by enhancing the cutting performance and tool life during titanium alloy machining based on the principles of biomimetic structures and asymmetric fluid control. Through femtosecond laser fabrication, anisotropic micro-textures inspired by Tesla valve geometries were precisely engineered onto the rake face of YG8N cemented carbide turning tools. These micro-textures possessed unidirectional flow-guiding capabilities, which were expected to regulate chip flow direction and cutting fluid infiltration pathways during the machining process. Two texture orientations (forward and reverse) were designed to investigate the influence of texture alignment on cutting performance. In the experimental phase, comparative cutting tests were conducted on TC4 titanium alloy under two typical cutting conditions: low speed (300 mm/s) and high speed (1 000 mm/s). The effects of the micro-textures on cutting force, tool temperature, cutting fluid lubrication efficiency, and material adhesion on the rake face were systematically evaluated. Meanwhile, finite element simulations based on the Johnson-Cook constitutive model were employed to simulate the influence of the micro-textures on the thermal and stress fields in the cutting zone, thereby verifying their effectiveness in reducing friction and temperature under high-temperature and high-load conditions. To further elucidate the wear mechanisms of the cutting tools and the microstructural evolution at the tool-chip interface, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) was used to analyze the microstructure and elemental distribution of the rake face and generated chips. Observations focused on identifying bonding wear, oxide film formation, and material transfer phenomena. The cutting fluid's viscosity was found to decrease progressively with the increase of the temperature, which could influence its ability to penetrate and lubricate the microtextured features. EDS analysis confirmed that the cutting fluid successfully infiltrated the bottom regions of the micro-textures.
At a low cutting speed of 300 mm/s, tools with micro-textures exhibited significantly better performance compared with non-textured tools. Specifically, the textured tools showed lower cutting forces and reduced tool tip temperatures. The adhesion of workpiece material on the rake face was also markedly reduced, indicating improved anti-adhesion and anti-wear characteristics. Under high-speed cutting conditions (1 000 mm/s), the forward Tesla valve micro-texture demonstrated even more pronounced benefits. Compared with the non-textured tool, it achieved a 19.4% reduction in cutting force and a 29.4% decrease in tool tip temperature, showcasing superior thermal and mechanical performance. The Tesla valve-inspired anisotropic micro-textures enhanced cutting performance by effectively guiding the flow of chips across the tool surface, thereby altering the chip-tool contact conditions. This led to a reduction in the effective contact area, which in turn decreased cutting forces and tool-chip interface temperatures. The improved lubrication and cooling effects helped to minimize adhesion, oxidation layers, and edge chipping, while also mitigating bonding wear. As a result, the micro-textures significantly reduced the coefficient of friction and cutting-induced wear, ultimately extending the tool's service life.

Key words

Tesla valve micro-texture / tool wear / cut temperature / chip morphology

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LI Jing, YANG Fazhan, JIANG Fulin, YANG Yu, CHEN Anqi, WANG Xue, LI Guangdi, YAN Shibin. Mechanism of Cutting Performance Enhancement of YG8N Tools by Tesla Valve Micro-texturing[J]. Surface Technology. 2025, 54(24): 207-219

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