Abstract
Stainless steel is recognized for its excellent durability and anti-corrosion properties, which
are essential qualities across various industrial applications. The machining of stainless
steel, particularly under a dry environment to attain sustainability, poses several challenges.
The poor heat conductivity and high ductility of stainless steel results in poor heat distribution,
accelerating tool wear and problematic chip formation. To mitigate these challenges,
the implementation of surface texturing has been identified as a beneficial strategy. This
study investigates the impact of wave-type texturing patterns, developed on the flank
surface of tungsten carbide ceramic tool inserts, on the machinability of AISI 316 stainless
steel under dry cutting conditions. In this investigation, chip morphology and surface
roughness were used as key indicators of machinability. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was
conducted for chip thickness, chip thickness ratio, and surface roughness, while Taguchi
mono-objective optimization was applied to chip thickness. The ANOVA results showed
that linear models accounted for 71.92%, 83.13%, and 82.86% of the variability in chip
thickness, chip thickness ratio, and surface roughness, respectively, indicating a strong
fit to the experimental data. Microscopic analysis confirmed a substantial reduction in
chip thickness, with a minimum observed value of 457.64 μm. The corresponding average
surface roughness Ra value 1.645 μm represented the best finish across all experimental
runs, highlighting the relationship between thinner chips and enhanced surface quality. In
conclusion, wave textures on the cutting tool’s flank face have the potential to facilitate the
dry machining of AISI 316 stainless steel to obtain favorable machinability.