Review on the impact of cryogenic treatment on cutting tools – mechanical properties, microstructure and performance

In the manufacturing industry, in general, various cutting fluids are used during the cutting of hard-to-cut materials to reduce the heat generation in the cutting zone. Undoubtedly, usage of coolant enhanced the tool life and quality of the product, but that affected the overall process in terms of technological, environmental and social aspects. Many researchers have suggested machining of hard-to-cut materials in a sustainable environment to solve these issues associated with different cooling and lubrication methods. Among the various sustainable machining techniques, cryogenic treatment of cutting tools has recently received more attention by researchers and practicing engineers because of its capability to enhance the resistance to wear of cutting tools, which further causes surface integrity and productivity of product over other techniques. This paper presents an extensive literature survey on the cryogenic treatment of various inserts used in the turning process. This includes various methods and procedures used in cryogenic treatment of cutting tools and the impact of mechanical properties, microstructure and cutting performance. The features of existing cryogenic treatment procedures are compared based on the machining performance, and directions for further research are recommended.