INFLUENCE OF SURFACE ROUGHNESS ON FATIGUE LIFE

OF AISI D3 COMPONENT HARD TURNED BY

CBN INSERT UNDER DRY MACHINING
S. Girisankar1* S. Senthil Murugan2**, S. Nuganthan3,
C. Dhanasekaran1, M. Chandrasekaran1
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vels University, Pallavaram, Tamil Nadu, India
2
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering (Autonomous),
Tamil Nadu, India
3
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rajalakshmi Engineering College (Autonomous),
Tamil Nadu, India
Corresponding authors: *[Link]@[Link], **gctsegan@[Link]

ABSTRACT
Hard turning has been broadly attributed as a surrogated process for customary
grinding because it facilitates any intricate profiles with a single setting. It is a precise
machining process, that could accomplish remarkable dimensional accuracy,
geometrical tolerance and surface finish, and also ensures coolant-free machining for
super hardened steels and alloys. Still, the parts produced are affected by the adverse
surface integrity along with a surface pattern often called a White Layer. As a result,
the parts produced are affected by fatigue life due to cyclic loads. This investigation
attempted to analyse surface roughness against the Fatigue life of AISI D3 component
hard turned by semi-worn out CBN insert under the dry machining. L27 orthogonal
array was designed with three cutting speeds, feed rates and depth of cuts. ANNOVA
table was formed and found that the feed rate influenced around 62.4% on the surface
roughness, subsequently depth of cut impacts nearly 26.6% and cutting speed implies
11%. In addition, it was revealed that the surface roughness influences the Fatigue life
of the part. The lowest surface roughness has produced highest Fatigue life of 2.8×107
cycles.

KEYWORDS: fatigue, hard turning, CBN insert, AISI D3, dry machining

1. INTRODUCTION important factors for surface reliability [5]. Even

though numerous advantages have been attributed to
Super-hardened steels with hardness values above 45 Hard Turning (HT) [6], certain limitations have been
HRC [1] can be effectively finish-turned as an identified concerning the surface integrity or surface
alternative to conventional grinding operations. This finish quality of the machined components [7]. As
process is efficiently carried out using Cubic Boron mentioned earlier, surface reliability generally
Nitride (CBN) inserts [2], with or without coatings encompasses factors such as surface morphology,
such as TiN or TiCN. This high-precision machining microstructure, microhardness, compositional
process, applicable to super-hardened steels and variations, and residual stresses. In practical
superalloys, enables the achievement of exceptionally applications, Hard Turning (HT) often results in poor
high dimensional accuracy and tight geometrical and surface patterns [8] due to phase transformations that
surface tolerances often less than a micron [3]. The lead to the formation of a surface layer commonly
process is commonly referred to as hard finish turning, known as the white layer (WL) [9]. This layer has been
or more widely known as Hard Turning (HT). The HT named after its nature of existence under microscopic
is found to be successful only with the hi-tech examinations.
advancements provided in the contemporary machine The WL formed on hard-turned surfaces is
tools by incorporating sturdiness and stunning tool typically about 30% harder than the bulk material and
sliding movements, for the huge throughput, without is often associated with the presence of tensile residual
compromising the quality [4]. As studied earlier, the stresses. In contrast, the underlying dark layer is
microstructure, microhardness, surface finish, approximately 60% softer than the bulk material. The
chemical compositional changes, residual stresses and dark layer generally appears between the white layer
White Layer formation are considered to be the and the transitional layer. Over time, it tends to

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Date of submission/acceptance: 29.09.2025/15.12.2025 [Link]
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delaminate under high cyclic stresses; consequently, effective alternative to conventional grinding
the WL is considered highly detrimental to the fatigue operations. The physical properties of the CBN inserts
life of the machined components [10]. Therefore, such used in this study are presented in table 1.
layers must be removed from the HT surface [11-12],
as they significantly reduce the service life of the Table 1. Physical properties of CBN
manufactured parts.
In this research, an attempt has been made to Properties Values
investigate the relationship between surface roughness Hardness 2800 HV
and the fatigue life of the hard-turned components. The
Tenacity 4.2 MPa
foremost aspect of surface reliability is surface
roughness, as it plays a crucial role in determining the Young’s Modulus 570 Gpa
functional life of a component. In general, lower Density 4.3 g/cm3
surface roughness enhances lubrication between Specific heat 750 J/Kg/°C
mating surfaces and thereby improves service life. Thermal Conductivity 100 W/m/°K
However, excessive cutting temperatures during Thermal expansion 4.9x10^-6 mm/°C
machining can lead to the formation of heat mounds,
which serve as sites for crack initiation. These cracks The experiments were performed on a CNC
subsequently propagate, resulting in premature failure. JOBBER XL turning centre (Fig. 1a) equipped with a
Therefore, minimizing surface roughness is essential to 15-kW spindle and capable of operating at speeds up to
prevent crack initiation and propagation. 4000 rpm. The workpieces were initially rough-turned
To achieve this, the design of experiments under dry machining conditions. Subsequently, they
approach was employed to determine the optimal were heat-treated by oil quenching and then tempered
combination of machining parameters. In this at 60 °C for 15 minutes prior to the hard turning trials.
investigation, an orthogonal array was adopted to To reduce brittleness and residual stresses, and to
achieve the desired reduction in surface roughness, and enhance ductility and toughness, the workpieces were
analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to tempered at 173 °C for 1.5 hours. After tempering, they
validate the results statistically. Consequently, an were allowed to cool naturally to room temperature.
improvement in the fatigue life of the hard-turned The hardness of each specimen was measured and
components was observed. confirmed to be in the range of 63–65 HRC.
The cutting parameters selected (factor and
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS levels) for machining the ASTM-standard fatigue test
specimens were as shown in table 2. This set of
The workpiece used in this study is AISI D3, a high- machining parameters was recommended by the tool
carbon, high-chromium tool steel corresponding to W- manufacturer (Sandvik) for ceramic-reinforced CBN
Nr. 1.2379. Its chemical composition is 2.1% C, 13.5% inserts and has also been adopted in earlier studies. The
Cr, 1.2% Mo, 1.0% V, 0.6% Mn, 0.6% Si, with the surface roughness of the machined samples was
balance being Fe. This steel grade exhibits high measured using a 2D surface roughness tester (Taylor
indentation hardness, excellent wear and heat Hobson). Fatigue testing was conducted using an
resistance, and relatively low ductility. In the annealed original railroad-axle-type Rotating Bending Testing
condition, it possesses a hardness of approximately 45 Machine, in which the bending moment remains
HRC and can be air-hardened to 61-62 HRC. Due to its constant along the entire specimen length. The fatigue
high abrasion resistance in the hardened state, finishing test setup used to determine fatigue life is shown in
operations are typically restricted to conventional figure 1b, and the prepared fatigue test specimen is
grinding. Therefore, hard turning was selected as the presented in figure 1c. The testing machine has a
finishing process for this material in the present maximum loading capacity of 200 kg/cm². Based on
investigation. the selected combinations of machining parameters, an
The cutting tool employed in this investigation was L27 orthogonal array was formulated for conducting
a CBN insert containing 80% cubic boron nitride and the experiments.
20% TiN ceramic phase. SNGA120412T01020A
inserts with a chamfered-edge micro-geometry of 0.1 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
mm × 20° were used, along with a DSBNR2525M12
tool holder. CBN is preferred for machining super- Surface roughness is a key indicator of the surface
hardened steels due to its exceptional hot hardness, integrity of machined components and plays a crucial
superior wear resistance, and high chemical and role in evaluating cutting tool performance. In this
thermal stability. Unlike polycrystalline diamond study, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was employed
(PCD), CBN is well suited for hard turning of ferrous to determine the influence of machining parameters on
alloys. CBN inserts have been widely recognized as a surface roughness. Based on the selected factor levels
technologically viable tool material for producing (Table 2), an L27 orthogonal array was formulated, as
components with the required dimensional and surface presented in table 3. Since each machining parameter
integrity. hard turning using CBN inserts serves as an was assigned three levels, the L27 array was

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appropriate for the experimental design. The ANOVA about 26.6%, while depth of cut contributes the least,
results generated using Design Expert 7 for the various at around 11%.
cutting conditions are summarized in table 4. Surface The results show that lower surface roughness
roughness was the output response. Surface roughness values are obtained at higher cutting speeds due to
affects not only the dimensional accuracy of the reduced cutting forces and improved plastic instability
machined parts but also their functional properties, at the tool–workpiece interface. At higher feed rates,
making its analysis essential for assessing machining however, thermal softening increases the extent of
performance. plastic deformation, leading to greater surface
In the HT process, surface roughness is irregularities. Additionally, the formation and
significantly influenced by several factors, including accumulation of adhered material, built-up edge
tool nose radius, workpiece hardness, tool geometry, (BUE), and chip abrasion further contribute to
and cutting parameters. The ANOVA results indicate increased roughness. At lower cutting speeds, the
that feed rate is the most dominant factor, contributing surface roughness tends to be higher due to elevated
approximately 62.40% to the variation in surface cutting forces and more severe plastic deformation of
roughness. Cutting speed has a moderate influence of the machined surface.

Table 2. Factors and the levels for the experiments

Factors Level 1 Level 2 Level 3

Cutting speed (Vc), m/min 120 150 180
Feed rate (f), mm/rev 0.06 0.10 0.15
Depth of cut (d), mm 0.05 0.1 0.15

(a) (b)

ASTM E1049 standard

(c)

Fig. 1. Equipment and materials: a) high-speed CNC lathe; b) fatigue testing setup; c) fatigue test specimen

Table 3. Experimental design matrix as per orthogonal array L27 for ‘Ra’ response

Test Cutting speed [m/min] Feed [mm/rev] Depth of cut [mm] Roughness [Ra]
1 120 0.06 0.05 0.63
2 120 0.06 0.10 0.82
3 120 0.06 0.15 0.76
4 120 0.10 0.05 1.08
5 120 0.10 0.10 1.43

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Test Cutting speed [m/min] Feed [mm/rev] Depth of cut [mm] Roughness [Ra]
6 120 0.10 0.15 1.40
7 120 0.15 0.05 1.90
8 120 0.15 0.10 1.93
9 120 0.15 0.15 2.01
10 150 0.06 0.05 0.75
11 150 0.06 0.10 0.64
12 150 0.06 0.15 0.58
13 150 0.10 0.05 1.41
14 150 0.10 0.10 1.34
15 150 0.10 0.15 1.10
16 150 0.15 0.05 1.67
17 150 0.15 0.10 1.58
18 150 0.15 0.15 1.71
19 180 0.06 0.05 0.37
20 180 0.06 0.10 0.51
21 180 0.06 0.15 0.47
22 180 0.10 0.05 0.65
23 180 0.10 0.10 0.67
24 180 0.10 0.15 0.61
25 180 0.15 0.05 1.04
26 180 0.15 0.10 1.19
27 180 0.15 0.15 1.33
Average 0.83

Table 4. ANOVA results for surface roughness

Factors SS D.O. F MS F-value p-value

A-d 0.05 2 0.025 0.120 0.110
B-f 0.20 2 0.35 0.581 0.624
C-Vc 0.22 2 0.11 0.890 0.266
AB 4 0.10 0.84 0.539 -
AC 4 0.059 0.47 0.754 -
BC 4 0.018 0.14 0.961 -
Error 1.00 8 0.12 - -
Total 2.30 26 - - -

The plots shown in figures 2, 3, and 4 illustrate the

interaction effects of feed rate, depth of cut, and cutting
speed on surface roughness. These results indicate that
surface roughness is strongly influenced by cutting
speed, primarily due to system instability, chip
adhesion, built-up edge (BUE) formation, and residual
material removal.
Feed rate also exhibits a major influence on
surface quality, as increasing the feed rate increases the
cross-sectional area of the sheared chip at a given
cutting speed, leading to a rougher surface finish. In
contrast, depth of cut shows only a minimal effect on
surface roughness compared with feed rate. To further
investigate the surface integrity, particularly the
formation of the white layer, the machined samples
Fig. 2. Interaction between feed, cutting speeds and
were examined using a Scanning Electron Microscope roughness at depth of 0.05 mm
(SEM).

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Fig. 3. Interaction between feed, cutting speeds and Fig. 4. Interaction between feed, cutting speeds and
roughness at depth of 0.10 mm roughness at depth of 0.15 mm

The primary causes of white layer formation are the white layer is approximately 10 µm. The depth of
microstructural alterations induced by high the white layer can vary depending on the thermal,
temperatures, severe plastic deformation, and chemical mechanical, and chemical conditions present within the
reactions occurring during the machining process. The bulk material. In hard turning, white layer formation
white layer is a very thin, hardened surface layer that can occur under all cutting speed conditions due to
forms on the machined workpiece and is significantly mechanically driven, thermo-mechanically driven, and
harder than the underlying material. Its formation is thermally driven phase transformations. For example,
typically associated with a phase transformation, often at a cutting speed of 120 m/min, feed rate of 0.15
resulting in a layer enriched with retained austenite or mm/rev, and depth of cut of 0.15 mm, a distinct white
other metastable structures. The typical thickness of layer was observed, as illustrated in figure 5.

Fig. 5. SEM image of white layer formation

All specimens were tested up to their fatigue limit 4. CONCLUSIONS

under a constant bending moment. The fatigue tests
were conducted in accordance with ASTM E1049, Several important findings on the hard turning of
which is primarily used for determining the number of hardened AISI D3 steel using CBN tools are drawn:
cycles to failure. Among the tested samples, specimen a) feed rate was identified as the most influential
of test no. 19 with Ra = 0.37 µm endured 2.82.8 × 10⁷ parameter on surface roughness, contributing
cycles, while, specimen of test no. 9 with Ra = 2.01 µm 62.40%, followed by cutting speed and depth of
endured 2.1 × 10⁷ cycles. cut. This quantitative influence for AISI D3
These results clearly demonstrate that fatigue life under CBN tools is a key outcome.
is strongly influenced by surface integrity, particularly b) an optimized cutting condition (180 m/min, 0.06
surface roughness. A smoother machined surface mm/rev, 0.05 mm) produced the lowest surface
corresponds to longer fatigue life, whereas increased roughness of 0.37 µm, demonstrating a stable
roughness promotes earlier crack initiation and reduces shearing mechanism with minimal BUE.
fatigue strength. c) a strong correlation between surface roughness

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and fatigue life was established: smoother layer elimination using CBN inserts under protective gas mixture
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layer formation: 1) Thermo-mechanically driven inserts, Applied Mechanics and Materials, 2015, vol. 766-767, pp.
594-599.
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[7] Bosheh S. S., Mativenga P. T., White layer formation in hard
e) the results show that hard turning using CBN
turning of H13 tool steel at high cutting speeds using CBN tooling,
inserts provides a reliable finishing alternative International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture, 2006, vol.
for hardened AISI D3 steel while offering 46, pp. 225-233.
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surface integrity by process design in hard turning, Journal of
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[9] Zurecki Z., Ghosh R., Frey J. H., Investigation of white layer
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