Cutting Operation Comparison between High-speed Steel, Cemented Carbide, and Ceramic Tools
Which tool material is the most efficient for a turning operation on a batch of 50 steel parts?
a) What are the cutting speeds for minimum cost for each tool material?
b) How long does each tool material last before replacement?
c) What is the cycle time for each tool material?
d) How much does it cost per production unit for each tool material?
e) How long does it take to complete the batch with each tool material?
f) What is the proportion of time spent actually cutting metal for each tool material?
Answer:
a) The cutting speeds for minimum cost are: High-speed steel tool: 47.7 m/min, Cemented carbide tool: 363 m/min, Ceramic tool: 2105 m/min.
b) The tool life before replacement for each tool material: High-speed steel tool: 53.4 min, Cemented carbide tool: 7 min, Ceramic tool: 2.33 min.
c) The cycle time for each tool material is: High-speed steel tool: 6.74 min/pc, Cemented carbide tool: 3.11 min/pc, Ceramic tool: 2.63 min/pc.
d) The cost per production unit for each tool material is: High-speed steel tool: $4.75/pc, Cemented carbide tool: $2.18/pc, Ceramic tool: $1.82/pc.
e) The time taken to complete the batch with each tool material is: High-speed steel tool: 7.62 hr, Cemented carbide tool: 4.59 hr, Ceramic tool: 4.19 hr.
f) The proportion of time spent actually cutting metal for each tool material: High-speed steel tool: 43.87%, Cemented carbide tool: 9.62%, Ceramic tool: 1.81%.
Among all three tools, the ceramic tool is taking the least time for the production of a batch, however, machining from the HSS tool is taking the highest time.
The optimal cutting speed for the minimum cost can be calculated using the Taylor equation parameters. The tool life can be determined based on the cost of grinding and machine operation. The cycle time is the sum of various time components including tool change, machining, and part handling. The cost per production unit considers the tool cost, grinding cost, and machine operation cost. The total time to complete the batch includes setup time and production time.
From the calculations, it is evident that the ceramic tool is the most efficient in terms of cutting speed, tool life, cycle time, cost per production unit, and total time to complete the batch. It spends the least time actually cutting metal compared to the other tool materials.