Abstract: Aiming at the problems of high cutting force, fast tool wear and high cutting temperature of 316 stainless steel, improving the machining performance, reducing the cutting force, optimizing cutting parameters and reducing the frictional resistance between the tool and the chip were studied in the research. The frictional test of the tool was researched under the orthogonal cutting parameters by the turning test method. The YW1 carbide tool was used to test the 316 stainless steel bar under dry cutting conditions, and the influence of cutting parameters on the friction characteristics between tool and chip was analyzed. Third Wave AdvantEdge finite element software was used to analyze the cutting process. The experiment resules indicate that the influence of three factors of cutting parameters on the friction coefficient, μ, between tool and chip in the dry cutting environment is from large to small in order of feed, cutting speed, back feed. The optimum combination of cutting speed  Vc(120 m/min), feed rate f (0.2 mm/r), back feed ap(1 mm) is selected based on the minimum friction coefficient between the tool and the chip.
Key words: difficult-to-machine material; friction performance; turning test method; orthogonal parameters