Effects of multi-pass turning on surface properties of AISI 52100 bearing steel

Abstract Hard turning is extensively used in the machining of bearings. The turning process has a significant influence on the properties of machined surface. In this paper, multi-pass turning experiments were machined on AISI 52100 bearing steel, and corresponding simulation model was established. The effects of multiple pass turning on micro hardness and residual stress were investigated. The results demonstrate that the machined surface hardness of single, double and triple pass turning is 30.0%, 25.2% and 24.5% higher than the initial surface, respectively, at a turning depth of 0.1mm and a speed of 100m/min. Double pass turning significantly reduces the residual stress of machined surface. With the change of turning speed, the residual stress after double pass turning is 88 MPa lower than single pass on average, while the difference of residual stress is relatively minor after double pass and triple pass turning. At a cutting depth of 0.05 mm, the residual stresses after double pass turning and triple pass turning are 152 MPa lower than those after one-pass turning. As the turning depth increases, the influence of the previous pass turning gradually decreases in terms of residual stress.