Experimental investigation on turning Inconel 713C under different cooling conditions using a new honeycomb-textured tool

Tool surface texturing is a new sustainable method for machining hard-to-machine materials. The present study focuses on the new honeycomb texture (mimic of bee's honeycombs) containing hexagons forming between thin vertical walls. The important novelty in this work is the cutting performance of honeycomb texture on Inconel 713C was examined under cutting parameters and different cooling conditions: dry untextured (T1), dry textured (T2) tool, impregnated solid lubricant (hexagonal boron nitride (hBN)) textured tool (T3), MQL (coconut oil) with textured tool (T4), and NMQL (0.20 wt.% hBN + coconut oil) with textured tool (T5). Compared to plain tools, NMQL to honeycomb texture reduced flank wear by 53.2%, roughness by 43.2%, turning force by 27%, and cutting temperature by 47.7%. Honeycomb texture with MQL (T4) and NMQL (T5) reduces flank surface Ni element diffusion during turning. Nanofluid-textured inserts (T5) demonstrated higher shear angles, lower chip curl diameter, and shorter tool-chip contact length than other conditions.