Influence of micro sandblasting on the surface integrity of the AlTiN-coated tools.

Due to the high-efficiency, environmental protection, the low-cost, micro sandblasting technology is used in the surface treatment of the coated tools. The simulation and application of the coated tool micro sandblasting are carried out to reveal the surface treatment mechanism and analyze the influence of sandblasting parameters on the tool surface integrity. The flow field erosion simulation model of abrasive water–air three-phase flow is established. Moreover, the cutting experiments are conducted to verify the effect of micro sandblasting. The results show that the maximum velocity and pressure are obtained at the center of jet flow. The pressure distribution on the target surface has little correlation with the distance to the nozzle. The surface morphology of the AlTiN-coated tool changes obviously after micro sandblasting. Moreover, the low surface roughness R_a of the blasted tool can be obtained at the small sandblasting pressure and time. Additionally, the residual compressive stress on the surface of the AlTiN-coated tool is enhanced after micro sandblasting. The longer cutting time of the AlTiN-coated tool can be obtained at the sandblasting pressure of 0.3 MPa and sandblasting time of 3 s. This work has practical significance for optimizing micro sandblasting process and improving the surface integrity of coated tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]