The most wear-resistant steel parts turning grade TP0500

November 01, 2021

introduction

Technologies such as high-speed machining, dry machining, and the development of difficult-to-machine materials will continue to pressure cutting tool manufacturers to develop higher speeds, longer tool life, and toughness. New products tested in processing conditions.

Some of the problems raised by these requirements include elevated temperatures in the cutting zone, ie many of the energy applied to the cutting process is converted to heat. In addition, although the heat generated during the machining process helps to make the cutting action easier by reducing the force required for chip formation, it also flows into the cutting edge, causing plastic deformation of the tool and negatively affecting tool life.

Every mechanic is struggling to achieve the best combination of productivity and tool life, making it a complex task when performing high-speed cutting of harder steel. For operators, in order to take advantage of the high speed performance of these machines, they must have cutting tools that are extremely chemically stable and heat resistant. We will focus on the role of the blade coating. The blade plays a key role in chip formation - the first step to achieving good chip control, productivity, tool life and reliability.

Plating contribution

The coated cemented carbide inserts have long dominated most metal removal processes in the shop due to their wear resistance, chemical stability and high hardness. For a range of applications with the ability to remove large amounts of material while maintaining long tool life, today about 80% of the blades used for machining are grades of coated carbide. The coating enhances wear resistance, extends tool life, and expands the functionality of a particular grade and allows for higher processing speeds.

Plating is important, but the coating must also be applied to the appropriate substrate so that the blade achieves the desired characteristics. This multi-layer coating technique means that each layer has its own unique features such as toughness, wear resistance, lubricity and the like. Therefore, although the substrate is protected by the coating until severe tool wear occurs, its properties still have a significant impact on the performance of the tool and coating. There are a variety of different substrates and coatings in this field.

There are many ways to improve the performance of coated products. Fine-tuning of the chemical composition in the coating furnace, more careful structural control of the individual coatings, and even polishing of the cutting edges after plating, all designed to improve quality, productivity or cost.

The best technology today

Advances in coating technology have clearly increased. Rare, it produced a revolutionary change in Seco adamantyl A unique technique Duratomic ® A proprietary chemical vapor deposition (CVD) coating.

Through extensive research and development, Seco has already known how to control the crystal structure of the alumina (Al ₂ O ₃ ) matrix layer. By modifying the plating deposition technique, each crystal constituting the coating is "tilted" to bring about a more favorable crystallization direction during cutting. An analogy can be used to consider how diamonds can be split relatively easily from a crystallographic direction to form a surface that reflects and refracts light, making the gem look attractive. However, in other crystallographic directions, diamond has a strong resistance to any form of damage.

Through this technology, Seco has already known how to control the growth of alumina crystals. In essence, this structural change creates a coating that enhances mechanical and thermal properties and combines with better wear resistance and toughness – surpassing all previous Al ₂ O ₃ performance on the market. .