A new approach to enhance final surface quality in drilling operation: evaluation of using alumina micro-particle additives on oil-water emulsion cutting fluid

Reaming is a common finishing process for improving the drilled holes surface quality. Choosing an appropriate finishing method in drilling process has a significant effect on the surface quality of holes and in decreasing the process total cost and time. In this study, four similar holes were drilled on the AISI 4340 workpiece with different two pair feed rates. The drilling process was performed with a conventional cutting fluid, an emulsion of water and ECOCOOL 3015 GS-W. The surface roughness values after drilling process were measured using a portable roughness tester. Then, two distinct sizes of alumina micro-particles were used in the cutting fluid discretely to perform finishing process of the holes with a specific cylindrical tool. A comparison of the surface roughness measurements after the finishing process showed a significant decrease in the arithmetic surface roughness and ten-point mean roughness values of the drilled holes. The values were very close to the surface roughness limits in reaming process of the holes.