WEAR PERFORMANCE OF CERAMIC CUTTING-TOOL MATERIALS WHEN CUTTING STEEL

Abstract Some test cycles have been carried out in continuous cutting conditions, employing cutting parameters (feed, depth of cut and cutting speed) chosen following experimental planes and suitable test fields. The wear tests have been carried out on AISI 1040 steel with cutting speeds from 5m/sec to 11m/sec. The silicon nitride, sintered carbide, cubic boron nitride and alumina reinforced with SiC whiskers inserts, have shown, at each assigned cutting parameter, poor wear resistance when cutting steel. Alumina and alumina in submicron grain, which has been toughened by ZrO2 phase transformation, and the oxide-based alumina, have been the better wear resistance. The mixed based alumina ha…

Wear mechanism and residual stresses in alumina-based laminated cutting

WEAR MECHANISM OF CERAMIC TOOLS

Abstract Cutting tests were performed using ceramic cutting tools under continuous cutting conditions. The tests were carried out on AISI 1040 steel, with cutting speeds ranging from 5 to 11 m s −1 . The wear mechanism was investigated for both crater and flank. Alumina-toughened zirconia of submicron grain size showed the best wear resistance. Alumina with TiC, TiN and ZrO 2 inclusions exhibited a wear resistance a little lower than the above-mentioned materials. Low chemical stability seems to be the reason for the poor performances of the silicon carbide whiskers-reinforced alumina, silicon nitride and the tungsten carbide inserts.