ORIGINAL ARTICLE Development of a tool–work thermocouple calibration system with physical compensation to study the influence of tool-holder material on cutting temperature in machining Almir Kazuo Kaminise & Gilmar Guimarães & Márcio Bacci da Silva Received: 19 November 2013 /Accepted: 24 April 2014 # Springer-Verlag London 2014 Abstract The main objective of this work is the experimental investigation of the influence of tool-holder material on tool– chip interface temperature and on the surface temperatures of the cutting tool and tool-holder. The study was conducted in dry machining of grey iron with uncoated cemented carbide inserts, using identical cutting parameters. Five tool-holders were made with materials having different thermal conductiv- ity: copper, brass, aluminium, stainless steel and titanium alloy. The tool-holders are identical and have the same con- structive aspects obtained from the commercial tool-holder for machining grey iron. The temperature at the tool–chip inter- face was measured using the tool–work thermocouple method and the surface temperatures on the insert and tool-holders, by conventional T type thermocouples. The system was modified in order to develop an experimental procedure for the physical compensation of the secondary junctions and parasite thermo- electric e.m.f. signals. Also, modifications were carried out in a conventional tail-stock to obtain the e.m.f. signal between the rotating workpiece and the stationary insert, without sig- nificantly altering the stiffness of the system. The tail-stock with mercury bearing inside was insulated electrically. The internal connections became reference junctions at room tem- perature; otherwise, they would act as secondary junctions. The calibration of the tool–work thermocouple was developed in the experimental apparatus using the same modifications as implemented in the system. Besides the results obtained with the investigation of the effects of the tool-holder materials on the surface temperatures of the insert and the tool-holder and the tool–chip interface temperature, this research presents also contributions to the calibration and performance of the tool– work thermocouple method with physical compensation. Keywords Machining . Interface chip–tool temperature . Tool–work thermocouple . Calibration . Tool-holder 1 Introduction In general, studies of the machining temperature analyses a system composed of chip and cutting tool excluding the effects of thermal contact between the insert and the tool-holder. Specifically in the works dealing with machining temperature including the presence of the tool-holder, the objectives focus on the use of cooling systems in order to reduce the temperature of the cutting tool. For example, Kaminski and Alvelid [1] explore the effects of a high- and ultra-high-pressure water jet directed into the tool/chip interface on tool temperature in regular turning operations. In this case, the measurements of temperatures and forces were made for different cutting condi- tions. For evaluation of the cooling effects, special inserts with integrated thermocouples were used. They show that a signif- icant reduction of edge temperature, by 40–45 %, is possible. However, the thermocouples do not measure the chip–tool interface temperature but the cutting zone. Sharma et al. [2] present an overview of major advances in cooling techniques as minimum quantity lubrication (MQL)/ near dry machining (NDM), high pressure coolant (HPC), cryogenic cooling, compressed air cooling and use of solid lubricants/coolants. They concluded that these techniques have resulted in reduction in friction and heat at the cutting zone, hence, improved productivity of the process. Despite being technologically sophisticated methods of cooling, they A. K. Kaminise CEFET-MG—Federal Center of Technological Education of Minas Gerais, Campus IV, Avenida Amazonas, 5253 - Nova Suíça, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil G. Guimarães (*) : M. B. da Silva School of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Uberlândia, Campus Santa Mônica, Bloco M, Av. João Naves de Ávila, 2121, 38400-902 Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil e-mail: gguima@mecanica.ufu.br Int J Adv Manuf Technol DOI 10.1007/s00170-014-5898-0