Machinability study on precision turning of PA66 polyamide with and without glass fiber reinforcing

Polyamide composites are widely employed in various fields of engineering, such as aircraft, automobile, robots and machines due to their good properties. They are generally manufactured by extrusion, and therefore these materials require additional machining operations. Precision machining aims the production of advanced components with high dimensional accuracy and acceptable surface integrity. This paper aims the better understanding of the machinability of PA 66 polyamide with and without 30% glass fiber reinforcing, when precision turning at different feed rates and using four distinct tool materials. The findings indicated that the radial force component presented highest values, followed by the cutting and feed forces. The PCD tool gave the lowest force values associated with best surface finish, followed by the ISO grade K15 uncoated carbide tool with chip breaker when machining reinforced polyamide. Continuous coiled micro-chips were produced, irrespectively of the cutting parameters and tool material employed.