Digital Twin-Driven Evaluation of 3D-Printed H13 Tool Steel End Mills for Sustainable Machining Applications

This study investigates the failure mechanisms and machining performance of 3D-printed H13 tool steel end mills driven by the creation of a Finite Element Analysis (FEA)-based digital twin. The primary objective is to assess the process capability of these tools by integrating CAD and FEA with product design simulation-based data acquisition within a digital manufacturing framework, thereby validating a physical model. This research begins by redesigning a 20 mm end mill into a 6 mm, four-flute configuration, and then FEA simulating H13 tool steel and tungsten carbide (WC) tools. This is carried out to machine Al-6082-T6 under spindle speeds of 5500 rpm and 1500 rpm, with a constant feed rate of 0.5 mm/tooth over 100,000 cycles. The process is integrated with the Siemens Insights hub via Node-RED to replicate the simulation to correlate the CPU signal spikes and enhanced processing capacity, especially in relation to CAD/CAE kernel activities. Based on the simulation insights, two H13 end mills are fabricated using Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF). The first tool, tested at 5500 rpm and a 1100 mm/min feed rate, fractured after 70 mm of cutting. The second trial, using a diamond-coated solid carbide tool at 1500 rpm and 300 mm/min, achieved successful machining with graphene-enhanced coolant. The cutting forces ranged from 300 to 500 N for 3D-printed tools, compared with 150–180 N for the carbide tool. The surface roughness varied between 0.6–1 µm and 4–6 µm for the printed tools, aligning closely with traditional tools (0.5–1 µm). Post-machining analysis using SEM and EDX confirmed tool wear and material changes. This work adopted a methodology to capture and monitor CPU signal spikes via the digital twin platform, enabling real-time comparison with failure thresholds. The results demonstrate the feasibility of using 3D-printed H13 tools for sustainable, customizable machining, offering a pathway for industries to adopt in-house tool design and manufacturing with integrated digital validation.