High-Speed Machining of Malleable Cast Iron by Various Cutting Tools Coated by Physical Vapor Deposition

The coating material of a tool directly affects the efficiency and cost of machining malleable cast iron.However,the machining adaptability of various coating materials to malleable cast iron has been insufficiently researched.In this paper,turning tests were conducted on cemented carbide tools with different coatings(a thick TiN/TiAlN coating,a thin TiN/TiAlN coating,and a nanocomposite(nc)TiAlSiN coating).All coatings were applied by physical vapor deposition.In a comparative study of chip morphology,cutting force,cutting temperature,specific cutting energy,tool wear,and surface roughness,this study analyzed the cutting characteristics of the tools coated with various materials,and established the relationship between the cutting parameters and machining objectives.The results showed that in malleable cast iron machining,the coating material significantly affects the cutting performance of the tool.Among the three tools,the nc-TiAlSiN-coated carbide tool achieved the minimum cutting force,the lowest cutting temperature,least tool wear,longest tool life,and best surface quality.Moreover,in comparisons between cemented-carbide and compacted-graphite cast iron machined under the same conditions,the wear mechanism of the coated tools was found to depend on the cast iron being machined.Therefore,the performance requirements of a tool depend on multiple factors,and selecting an appropriately coated tool for a particular cast iron material is essential.

Microstructure, mechanical properties, and milling performance of arc-PVD AlTiN–Cu and AlTiN/AlTiN–Cu coatings

AlTiN,AlTiN–Cu and AlTiN/AlTiN–Cu coatings were prepared on WC–6%Co substrates by cathode arc evaporation deposition technology.Two kinds of nitrogen pressures were used to deposit both AlTiN–Cu and AlTiN/AlTiN–Cu coatings.Surface and cross-sectional morphologies of films were observed by scanning electron microscopy(SEM).Crystal structure of films was analyzed by X-ray diffraction(XRD)and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS).Hardness and adhesion of films were measured by nano-indentation and nano-scratch tester.Cutting tests were performed under milling conditions during wet machining of TC4 alloy.The results show that with addition of Cu,more droplets occur on AlTiN coating surface,but the grain size of it is refined,and the hardness decreases but the toughness is improved.Under higher N2 pressure,the defects on the surface of AlTiN–Cu and AlTiN/AlTiN–Cu coatings diminish,and the hardness of them is enhanced,while the adhesion is reduced.Compared to AlTiN coated cemented carbide tool,the lifetimes of AlTiN–Cu and AlTiN/AlTiN–Cu coated tools under the same N2 pressure are improved by 11%and 24%,respectively.

Interface strengthening for thermal sprayed WC-10Co4Cr coating subjected to pulsed magnetic treatment

The reliability of the coated industry components demands ideal fatigue properties of the coating,and it is mainly determined by the performance of the interfaces.In this study,pulsed magnetic treatment(PMT)was applied to the thermal sprayed WC-10Co4Cr coating,and the fatigue lifetime of the coated bolt increased by 219.82%under an imitation of the operating mode condition.Scratch tests further proved that both the adhesion and cohesion strength were improved after PMT,and they benefit from the interface strengthening effects.The formation of coherent WC/Co interfaces was characterized by in-situ transmission electron microscopy(TEM),and the molecular dynamic simulations indicate that the work of separation of these interfaces is much higher than the original disordered ones.Residual stress was relaxed and distributed more homogeneously after PMT,and it mainly contributes to the coating/substrate strengthening.This work provides a new post-treatment method focusing on the interfaces in the WC-based coating and gives insight into its mechanism so that it is hopeful to be applied to other kinds of coatings.