Establishing and controlling the prediction model of a machined surface quality is known as the basis for sustainable manufacturing. An ensemble learning algorithm—the gradient boosting regression tree—is incorporated into the surface roughness modeling. In order to address the problem of a high time cost and tendency to fall into a local optimum solution when the grid search and conjugate gradient method is adopted to obtain the super-parameters of the ensemble learning algorithm, a genetic algorithm is employed to search for the optimal super-parameters in the training process, and a genetic-gradient boosting regression tree (GA-GBRT) algorithm is developed. A fitting goodness of fit is taken as the fitness function value of the genetic algorithm and combined with k-fold cross-validation, as such, the initial model parameters of the gradient boosting regression tree are optimized. Compared to the optimized artificial neural network (ANN) and support vector regression (SVR) and combined with the cutting experiment of 304 stainless steel with a micro-groove tool, a genetic algorithm multi-objective optimization model with the highest cutting efficiency and a supreme surface quality was constructed by applying the GA-GBRT model. The response relationship reveals the non-linear interaction that occurs between the cutting parameters and the surface roughness of 304 stainless steel that is machined by the micro-groove tool. As indicated by the results obtained from the multi-objective optimization, the cutting efficiency can be enhanced by increasing the cutting speed and depth within a small range of surface quality variations. The GA-GBRT model is validated to be reliable in making a prediction of the surface roughness and optimizing the cutting parameters with turning and milling data.

AISI 304 has good physical and chemical properties and thus is widely used. However, due to the low thermal diffusivity, the cutting temperature of AISI 304 is high accelerating the wear of the tool. Therefore, tool wear is a major problem in machining hard cutting materials. In this study, we developed a new type of micro-groove tool whose rake surface was distributed with micro-groove by powder metallurgy based on the finite element temperature field morphology. We compared the wear of the proposed micro-groove tool with an untreated one by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and an X-ray energy spectrum. The abrasive, adhesive, and oxidation wear of the rake and the flank face of the micro-groove tool were lower than that of the untreated one. Due to the micro-groove on the rake face of the tool, the contact length between the tool and chip was reduced, leaving more extension space. Furthermore, chip extrusion deformation was avoided, and the energy caused by chip deformation was reduced. After 70 min of cutting, the counterpart reached the specified wear amount while the main cutting force, the feed resistance, and the cutting depth resistance of the proposed micro-groove tool were reduced by 16.1%, 33.9%, and 40.1%, respectively. With regard to steady state, the cutting temperature was reduced by 17.2% and the wear width of the flank face was reduced by 36.7%.

Tool-chip friction increases cutting temperature, aggravates tool wear, and shortens the service life of cutting tools. A micro-groove design of the rake face can improve the wear performance of the tool. In this study, we used the finite element simulation “Deform” to obtain the temperature field distribution of the tool rake face. The size of the micro-groove was determined by selecting a suitable temperature field combined with the characteristics of tool–chip flow in the cutting process, and the tool was prepared using powder metallurgy. The three-direction cutting forces and tool tip temperature were obtained by a cutting test. Compared with the original turning tool, the cutting force and cutting temperature of the micro-groove tool were reduced by more than 20%, the friction coefficient was reduced by more than 14%, the sliding energy was reduced and the shear energy was greatly decreased. According to the analysis of tool wear by SEM (scanning electron microscope) and EDS (energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy), the crater wear, adhesive wear and oxidation wear of the micro-groove tool were lower than those of the original turning tool. In particular, the change in the crater wear area on the rake face of the original tool and the micro-groove tool was consistent with the cutting temperature and the wear width of the flank face. On the whole, the crater wear area and the change rate of the crater wear area of the micro-groove tool were smaller. Due to the proper microgroove structure of the rake face, the tool-chip contact area decreased, and the second rake angle of the tool became larger. Hence, the tool-chip friction, cutting forces, cutting energy consumption were reduced, tool wear was improved, and the service life of the micro-groove tool was five times longer than that of the original tool.