Analysis of Residual Stresses in Sustainable Cryogenic Machining of Nickel Based Alloy—Inconel 718

In machining processes, surface integrity is a major quality-related performance output. In the case of difficult-to-cut materials, this frequently relates to residual stresses induced in the machined surface and subsurface. As cryogenic machining presents a sustainable alternative to conventional machining processes, in this work, cryogenic machining and the influence of cooling/lubrication conditions on the surface integrity generated during turning of Inconel 718 are presented. The results show that the cryogenic machining process generates larger compressive residual stresses, and prevail at deeper levels beneath the machined surface, thus resulting in improved product quality and performance characteristics in terms of fatigue life and wear resistance.