Wear behaviour of cryogenically treated tungsten carbide inserts under dry and wet turning conditions

Cryogenic treatment has been acknowledged as a means of extending the life of tungsten carbide inserts but no study has been reported in open literature regarding the effect of coolant on the performance of cryogenically treated tungsten carbide inserts in turning. In order to understand the effect of coolant, a comparative investigation of the wear behaviour of cryogenically treated tungsten carbide inserts in dry and wet orthogonal turning has been carried out in this study. The commercially available uncoated square-shaped tungsten carbide inserts with chip breakers were procured and cryogenically treated at ?196 °C and the cutting tests were executed in accordance to the International Standard Organisation, ISO 3685-1993 for continuous and interrupted machining mode. The criterion selected for determining the tool life was based on the maximum flank wear (0.6 mm) and the selection of cutting conditions was made to ensure the significant wear at a suitable time interval. The results showed that cryogenically treated tungsten carbide inserts performed significantly better in wet turning conditions under both continuous and interrupted machining modes especially at higher cutting speeds. A considerable increase in tool life was also recorded in interrupted machining mode as compared with continuous machining mode.     

Performance evaluation of cryogenically treated tungsten carbide tools in turning

This paper describes a study on the effects of cryogenic treatment of tungsten carbide. Cryogenic treatment has been acknowledged by some as a means of extending the tool life of many cutting tool materials, but little is known about the mechanism behind it. Thus far, detailed studies pertaining to cryogenic treatment have been conducted only on tool steels. However, tungsten carbide cutting tools are now in common use. The main aim of this study is to analyze the differences in tool performance between cryogenically treated and untreated tool inserts during orthogonal turning of steel. This will aid in the quest for optimal cutting conditions for the turning of steel using these inserts, and will also enhance the understanding of the mechanism behind the cryogenic treatment of tungsten carbide, and the changes in its properties after cryogenic treatment. In the process of ascertaining these findings, it was shown in this study that under certain conditions, cryogenic treatment can be detrimental to tool life and performance. It was also shown that cryogenically treated tools perform better while performing intermittent cutting operations.     

Investigations on the effects of multi-layered coated inserts in machining Ti-6Al-4V alloy with experiments and finite element simulations

This paper presents investigations on turning Ti-6Al-4V alloy with multi-layer coated inserts. Turning of Ti-6Al-4V using uncoated, TiAlN coated, and TiAlN + cBN coated single and multi-layer coated tungsten carbide inserts is conducted, forces and tool wear are measured. 3D finite element modelling is utilized to predict chip formation, forces, temperatures and tool wear on these inserts. Modified material models with strain softening effect are developed to simulate chip formation with finite element analysis and investigate temperature fields for coated inserts. Predicted forces and tool wear contours are compared with experiments. The temperature distributions and tool wear contours demonstrate some advantages of coated insert designs.     

Effects of cryogenic treatment and refrigerated air on tool wear when machining medium density fiberboard

Cooling of cutting tools with liquid coolants and lubricants is impractical when machining dry wood or wood composites. This study examines the combined effect of cryogenic tool treatment and using refrigerated air for cooling tools on reducing tool wear. A total of four, double-flute, solid, tungsten carbide router bits were used to machine medium density fiberboard with a CNC router. Three of the four tools were cryogenically treated to below −149 °C. During cutting, refrigerated air was applied to two tools, while the other two cut at ambient temperature. All tools were examined under the stereo light microscope to capture images in order to measure tool wear. Elemental analysis was performed using scanning electron microscopy to determine the percentage of specific elements present on clearance faces of tools after cutting was completed. Results show that less tool wear occurs when using refrigerated air and cryogenic treatment, thereby increasing tool life when cutting medium density fiberboard.     

Investigation of the effects of cryogenic treatment applied at different holding times to cemented carbide inserts on tool wear

Cutting tool costs is one of the most important components of machining costs. For this reason, tool life should be improved using some methods such as cutting fluid, optimal cutting parameters, hard coatings and heat treatment. Recently, another one of the methods commonly used to improve tool life is cryogenic treatment. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of different holding times of deep cryogenic treatment on tool wear in turning of AISI 316 austenitic stainless steel. The cemented carbide inserts were cryogenically treated at −145 °C for 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 h. Wear tests were conducted at four cutting speeds (100, 120, 140 and 160 m/min), a feed rate of 0.3 mm/rev and a 2.4 mm depth of cut under dry cutting conditions. The wear test results showed that flank wear and crater wear were present in all combinations of the cutting parameters. However, notch wear appeared only at lower cutting speeds (100 and 120 m/min). In general, the best wear resistance was obtained with cutting inserts cryogenically treated for 24 h. This case was attributed to the increased hardness and improved micro-structure of cemented carbide inserts. These improvements were confirmed through hardness, image processing, and XRD analyses.     

Influence of shallow and deep cryogenic treatment on the residual state of stress of 4140 steel

The present research work studies the effect of cryogenic treatment on the residual stress state in 4140 steel. Two kinds of cryogenic treatment, namely shallow (SCT, −80 °C × 5 h) and deep cryogenic treatment (DCT, −196 °C × 24 h) were carried out between quenching and tempering in conventional heat treatment process. The results evidenced an increase in the compressive residual stress in steel are subjected to cryogenic treatment before tempering. X-ray diffractometry revealed that residual stresses are relieved during tempering, according to the redistribution of carbon in martensite and the precipitation of transition carbides. While conventional heat treatment (CHT) and shallow cryogenic treatment (SCT) promote a tensile state of residual stress, DCT shows a compressive residual stress.     

Evaluation of factors influencing deep cryogenic treatment that affect the properties of tool steels

Deep cryogenic treatment (DCT) of tool steels is used as an additive process to conventional heat treatment and usually involves cooling the material to liquid nitrogen temperature (−196 °C). This kind of treatment has been reported to improve the wear resistance of tools. In this study, the Taguchi method was used to identify the main factors of DCT that influence the mechanical properties and the wear resistance of the powder metallurgically produced cold-work tool steel X153CrVMo12 (AISI D2). Factors investigated were the austenitizing temperature, cooling rate, holding time, heating rate, and tempering temperature. In order to study the significance of these factors and the effect of possible two-factor interactions L₂₇(3¹³), an orthogonal array (OA) was applied to conduct several heat treatments, including a single DCT cycle directly after quenching prior to tempering. The results show that the most significant factors influencing the properties of tool steels are the austenitizing and tempering temperatures. In contrast, the parameters of deep cryogenic treatment exhibit a lower level of significance. Further investigations identified a nearly constant wear rate for holding times of up to 24 h. The wear rate reaches a minimum for a longer holding time of 36 h and increases again with further holding.     

Effect of Deep Cryogenic Heat Treatment on the Wear Behavior of Carburized DIN 1.7131 Grade Steel

The effects of the deep cryogenic heat treatment on the microstructural changes,wear resistance,and hardness of carburized DIN 1.7131 grade steel were investigated.Results show that cryogenic heat treatment reduced the retained austenite and increased the carbide amount.In addition,after the cryogenic heat treatment,carbide shows a more uniform distribution,as compared to the conventionally treated ones.It was also clarified that the hardness of the cryogenically treated samples was improved,but the relative improvement decreases with the distance as the surface increases.It has been shown that the wear resistance improves due to the cryogenic heat treatment,and the predominant wear mechanism is a combination of the adhesive and tribo-chemical wear.     

Influence of shallow and deep cryogenic treatment on the corrosion behavior of Ti6Al4V alloy in isotonic solution

This study investigated the corrosion behavior of cryogenically treated Ti6Al4V alloys in an isotonic solution. Samples were subjected to shallow or deep cryogenic treatment, and some samples then underwent an aging procedure. They were characterized by microstructural analysis, an open circuit potential test, an electrochemical impedance method, and a potentiodynamic test. The polarization tests demonstrated that the deep cryogenic treatment shifted the corrosion potential to more anodic values compared to the untreated sample. For all treated samples, it was found that the corrosion current densities were lower than those in the untreated sample, and the lowest current densities were registered for the sample subjected to deep cryogenic treatment for 36 hr. The shallow cryogenic treated samples and the sample aged without cryogenic treatment showed semicapacitive loops with poor corrosion impedance compared to the untreated sample, whereas deep cryogenic treatment produced Warburg impedance with diffusion in the solid phase.     

Modified TiAlN coatings prepared by d.c. pulsed magnetron sputtering

Coatings like TiN or TiAlN are well established as hard and wear resistant tool coatings. These coatings often are prepared by PVD techniques like arc evaporation or d.c. magnetron sputtering. Typical micro hardness values of such hard coatings are in the range of 30 GPa. Compared to d.c. magnetron sputtering processes the pulsed magnetron sputter deposition technique could be shown as a clear advancement. Furthermore pure TiAlN hard coatings as well as TiAlN coatings modified by addition of elements like Si and Cr were prepared in order to improve the coating properties using the pulsed magnetron sputter technique in a batch coater equipped with 4 targets. Coatings prepared with the pulsed sputter process showed both high hardness and high wear resistance. The application potential of pulsed sputtered TiAlN coatings is demonstrated by turning test results of coated cemented carbide cutting inserts.Beside hardness and wear, other properties like adhesion or high temperature stability were determined. Cross sectional SEM images revealed the growth structure in dependence of the applied substrate bias and of the added elements. The chemical composition of the coatings was investigated by electron microprobe analysis and the phase and crystal size were determined by X-ray diffraction. Using the pulsed magnetron sputter process the coating properties, especially the hardness and the morphology, could be significantly improved. With indentation hardness values in the range of 40 GPa the region of super hard materials could be reached.     

Cutting performance of PVD-coated carbide and CBN tools in hardmilling

In this study, cutting performance of CBN tools and PVD-coated carbide tools in end-milling of hardened steel was investigated. In high-speed dry hardmilling, two types of CBN tools were applied: the CBN-rich type and an ordinary one. In the case of relatively low-speed milling, on the other hand, a few coated carbide tools were selected where four kinds of coating films, TiN, TiCN, TiAlN and multi-layered TiAlN/AlCrN, were deposited on the K10 and P30 grade carbide. The cutting performance was mainly evaluated by tool wear, cutting temperature, cutting force and surface roughness. In dry cutting of hardened carbon steel with the ordinary CBN tool, the cutting tool temperature rose rapidly with increase in cutting speed; and tool temperature reached approximately 850 °C at the cutting speed of 600 m/min. In the case of the CBN-rich tool, the cutting temperature decreased by 50 °C or more because of its high thermal conductivity. It is remarkable that tool wear or damage on a cutting tool was not observed even when the cutting length was 156 m in both CBN tools. In the case of coated carbide tools, the temperatures of TiN-, TiCN- and TiAlN-coated carbide tools rose as cutting proceeded because of the progress of tool wear, but that of TiAlN/AlCrN-coated carbide tool hardly rose due to little tool wear. When the base material was K10 grade carbide, tool temperature was lower than that of P30 with any coating. The tool flank wear depends considerably on hardness and oxidizing temperature of the coating film.     

深冷处理对TiN涂层硬质合金力学性能的影响

采用电弧离子镀技术在YW2硬质合金基体上沉积了厚度为2μm的TiN涂层,对所获得的TiN/YW2体系进行了-196℃下30 h的深冷处理。采用X射线衍射仪(XRD)和显微硬度仪分别对深冷前后TiN涂层的相结构和硬度进行了检测,利用洛氏硬度仪采用压痕法研究了深冷处理前后YW2基体和TiN/YW2体系压痕形貌的变化,借助金相显微镜和扫描电镜(SEM)研究了基体显微组织及其对体系断裂韧性、界面结合状况的影响。结果表明:深冷处理后涂层中应力诱导晶粒扭转导致的TiN(111)面择优取向,使体系的硬度得到了提高。基体上压痕径向放射性裂纹密度明显降低,TiN涂层沿压痕周向的块状剥离得到缓解。深冷处理后弥散分布的颗粒状γ相显著减少或消失、孔隙率降低,组织变得更加致密,加之深冷处理过程中裂纹源的弥合,提高了YW2基体和TiN/YW2体系的断裂韧性和界面结合强度。     

Effect of Cryogenic Treatment on AISI M2 High Speed Steel: Metallurgical and Mechanical Characterization

This study aims to present the metallurgical and mechanical characterization of cryogenically treated AISI M2 high speed steel (HSS) in terms of carbide precipitation and wear behavior. The samples of commercially available conventionally quenched and tempered AISI M2 HSS were procured and subjected to cryogenic treatment at two levels ?110?°C (shallow treatment) and ?196?°C (deep treatment) of temperature. The microstructures obtained after cryogenic treatments have been characterized with a prominence to comprehend the influence of cryogenic treatment vis-à-vis conventional quenching and tempering on the nature, size, and distribution of carbides. The mechanical properties such as hardness and wear rate of the specimens have also been compared by performing Rockwell C hardness test and pin-on-disc wear test, respectively. Microstructures, hardness, wear rate and analysis of worn surface reveal the underlying metallurgical mechanism responsible for the improving mechanical properties of the AISI M2 HSS.     

深冷处理对硬质合金的影响

综述了国内外硬质合金深冷处理的工艺过程及其深冷处理对硬质合金微观组织、相结构、残余应力状况、机械性能与切削性能的影响。深冷处理工艺包括降温和保温两个基本阶段,部分研究增加回火处理;深冷处理后硬质合金中η相含量增多且尺寸减小,Co对WC的粘结更紧密,但也有认为微观组织形貌变化不大的观点;Co相由面心立方向密排六方转变,而WC相变化不大;深冷处理可提高硬质合金耐磨性和延长使用寿命已得到共识,但对表面残余应力状况及硬度等影响尚存在不同观点。探索深冷处理对硬质合金的作用机理,并进行工艺参数的优化是目前研究工作的方向。     

High bandwidth temperature measurement in interrupted cutting of difficult to machine materials

High-speed milling is used across industries from aerospace to electronics. Tool wear can be affected by cutting interruptions in milling that lower tool-chip interface temperatures but also cause thermal and stress cycling. Micro-thermal imaging was used to determine the temperature during interrupted cutting of titanium alloy Ti6Al4V and AISI 4140 steel for percentage of time-in-cut from 100% to 10%. TiAlN/TiN coated carbide milling inserts were used with cutting speeds up to 180 and 640 m min⁻¹. This technique is the first to allow spatial mapping of thermal fluctuations on the tool which may be critical to determining causes for tool failure.     

Experimental Investigations to Study the Effects of Microwave Treatment Strategy on Tool Performance in Turning Operation

In the present study, microwave treatment has been used to enhance the tribological properties of single-point tungsten carbide (WC) cutting tool inserts such as wear resistance and hardness. The tool hardness and cutting parameters were considered to evaluate the performance of microwave-treated WC inserts in turning operation. The optimum cutting parameters were identified using response surface method (RSM)-based desirability approach. The relationship between cutting parameters and output responses, viz. flank wear, cutting force and surface roughness, was developed using the RSM. The investigations revealed that the increase in tool hardness due to complex carbide formation results in a significant reduction in tool wear, cutting forces and improvement in the surface finish of workpiece. Further, the statistical models results were validated with the experimental results. Metallurgical properties of treated and untreated tool inserts were analyzed using scanning electron microscope, x-ray diffraction method and Vickers microhardness tests. The results highlighted the importance of microwave treatment in enhancing the machining performance in turning operation.     

The influence of age-hardening on turning and milling performance of Ti-Al-N coated inserts

Ti-Al-N coatings are well known for their excellent properties and age-hardening abilities. Here we show that the life-time of coated inserts during turning of stainless steel can be increased to 200% by post-deposition vacuum annealing at 900 °C combined with a ~ 1 K/min vacuum furnace cooling. During milling of 42CrMo steel an increase in tool life-time to 140% is only obtained if the cooling condition after annealing at 900 °C contains a fast segment with 50 K/min from 800 to 700 °C. Thereby, the Co-binder in cemented carbide exhibits a retarded phase transformation from cubic to hexagonal. Consequently, the fracture toughness of the cemented carbide is reduced only from ~ 10.8 to 10.4 MPa√m while the coating still has an adhesive strength of ~ 65 N.Our results indicate that best machining performances of coated inserts are obtained after annealing at 900 °C where the supersaturated Ti_0.34Al_0.66N coating undergoes spinodal decomposition to form nm-sized cubic TiN and AlN domains resulting in a hardness increase from 34.5 to 38.7 GPa. Additionally, we demonstrate that careful attention needs to be paid on the influence of annealing conditions on adhesive strength and fracture toughness of coated inserts.     

Effects of deep cryogenic treatment on the wear development of H13A tungsten carbide inserts when machining AISI 1045 steel

In this study, the effects of deep cryogenic treatment (93 K) on the surface and sub-surface wear development of H13A cobalt-bonded tungsten carbide cutting inserts during the wet machining of AISI 1045 steel were investigated. Cutting inserts were subjected to short periods (171–553 s) of turning at cutting speeds of 50–140 m/min, during which time mass measurements were taken and the worn edges were imaged and scanned, by optical microscopy and light interferometry, at regular intervals. Sections were taken following machining so that sub-surface features could be observed by scanning electron microscopy. It was determined that cryogenic treatment resulted in a 9.2 % increase in hardness and an increase in abrasive wear resistance, although microstructural changes and sub-surface behaviours suggested a corresponding decrease in toughness may have occurred.     

Analysis on ductile mode processing of binderless, nano crystalline tungsten carbide through ultra precision diamond turning

Ultra precision diamond turning is usually applied for processing non ferrous metals, plastics and a few single crystal materials. The machining of hard and brittle material, such as nano crystalline, binderless tungsten carbide has only been investigated within a few publications on a theoretical basis and applying nano indenting. Therefore the goal of this paper is to qualify the ultra precision diamond turning technique for processing nano crystalline, binderless tungsten carbide applying the real process conditions identifying optimal parameters. A potential application of this process would be the mold manufacturing for precision glass molding. Within a systematical procedure the ductile to brittle transition is analyzed as well as the tool wear, varying both, tool geometry and processing parameters. Based on material analysis the critical depth of cut for the material was calculated at 165 nm. This value could be validated in the experiments at the optimal cutting speed of 50 m/min with a feed of 1 μm. Least tool wear was observed at a tool radius of 0.4 mm and a rake angle of −20°. The experiments demonstrate the strong influence of the processing conditions on the achieved results.     

Effect of Carbide Distribution on Corrosion Behavior of the Deep Cryogenically Treated 1.2080 Steel

Deep cryogenic heat treatment is a supplementary process performed on steels specifically tool steels before tempering to improve the wear resistance and hardness of these materials. The carbide distribution changes via the electric current flow or the application of a magnetic field during the deep cryogenic heat treatment. Hence, the electric current and the magnetic field were applied to the samples to investigate the corrosion behavior of the deep cryogenically treated samples by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and potentiodynamic polarization measurements. The results showed that increasing the carbide percentage and achieving a more homogenous carbide distribution during the deep cryogenic heat treatment will remarkably decrease the corrosion resistance due to a decrease in the solutionized chromium atoms in the structure as well as the increase in the martensite-carbide grain boundaries (the galvanic cell areas). Moreover, it was clarified that the electric current flow and magnetic fields reduce the carbide percentage, which leads to an increase in the corrosion resistance of these samples in comparison with the deep cryogenically treated samples.