Driving Sustainability for the Cutting Tools in Drilling Process

Abstract Sustainable manufacturing integrates environmentally friendly practices into production processes. This study advances the field by comprehensively evaluating the economic and environmental impacts of drilling Ti6Al4V alloy. The research specifically compares the performance of TiN and TiAlN-coated drill bits under cryogenic LCO2 cooling, examining key metrics such as hole quality, tool wear, power consumption, thrust force, and torque. From an environmental and economic standpoint, the replacement of TiAlN-coated drill bits with TiN-coated alternatives demonstrated significant advantages. The TiN-coated drill bits achieved remarkable cost savings of 100.90%. Furthermore, the study revealed that using TiN-coated drill bits led to a 71% decrease in tool wear compared to TiAlN-coated ones, significantly extending tool longevity and enhancing drilling efficiency. This reduction in wear directly contributes to the overall sustainability of the process by minimizing waste and resource consumption. By addressing critical economic, environmental, and performance parameters, this research underscores the potential of sustainable machining techniques to reduce manufacturing costs and mitigate ecological footprints. The findings advocate for the adoption of innovative solutions within the cutting tool industry, fostering more sustainable practices in manufacturing.