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AISI 4340 steel is a low alloy steel with high tensile strength that has numerous applications in industry. Machinability of this alloy steel has difficulties due to its low heat conduction and high heat concentration in cutting zone. Therefore, use of cutting fluids in machining of this steel is inevitable. On the other hand, environmental problems of using mineral lubricants lead industries into use of biodegradable oils such as Vegetable based cutting fluids. The aim of this study is to investigate the drilling of AISI4340 alloy steel in presence of semi-dry lubricant and using soybean vegetable-based oil. For this purpose, drilling parameters including feed rate and cutting speed at three levels and workpiece hardness at two levels were chosen. Totally 18 experiments were carried out using coated carbide drill. Results revealed that vegetable-based oil can effectively be used in drilling using a semi-dry lubrication method. In addition, feed rate was the most effective parameter on cutting force and surface roughness and by increasing it, the cutting force increased, and the surface quality deteriorated. Also, workpiece hardness showed significant effect on surface roughness.