The Drilling Machinability of 5083 Aluminum Under Shallow and Deep Cryogenic Treatment
Uğur Köklü
Abstract
Cryogenic treatment is applied to improve the properties of materials. In this study, a comprehensive experimental investigation was conducted on the effects of shallow and deep precryogenic treatment with different holding times on the machinability performance of the 5083 aluminum (Al) alloy. For this purpose, shallow cryogenic treatment at −80°C and deep cryogenic treatment at −196°C were applied to the aluminum alloy for different time periods (15, 30 and 45 h). The performance outputs included tensile properties, thrust force, tool wear and surface topography. The highest tensile strength was observed in the sample kept in liquid nitrogen (N2) for 45 h, while the effect of cryogenic treatment for 15 and 30 h on the mechanical properties of the other samples was observed to be limited. Moreover, cryogenic treatment increased the thrust force during the drilling operation; however, the treatment reduced the adhesion of the material to the drill bit and improved the surface quality. It can be concluded that cryogenic treatment has positive effects on the mechanical properties and machinability of the 5083 alloy.