Ultra-precision micro-cutting of maraging steel 3J33C under the influence of a surface-active medium

The excellent mechanical properties of maraging steel 3J33C make it desirable for a wide spectrum of high-strength applications, which would also mean that it is difficult to machine. The application of surface-active media onto the pre-machined surface is explored to improve the machinability of this high-strength material. This mechanochemical effect, named after its discoverer as the Rehbinder effect, was implemented using a marker ink to reduce machining forces and deformed chip thicknesses, and significantly improve the machined surface quality. Machined subsurface microstructure characterization reveals the occurrence of grain refinement with evenly distributed orientations and the microstructure texture components when cutting with the mechanochemical influence. This work also demonstrates with an analytical model the effectiveness of the Rehbinder effect when coupled with the tool-edge radius effect. Lastly, numerical simulations are developed for chip evolution and cutting forces in machining a polycrystalline workpiece material with the mechanochemical influence by modifying the fracture energy.