TOOL LIFE

Optimizing tool life and performance Tool wear is damage on the cutting edge caused by the different types of insert wear. Productivity and tool life can be optimized by observing the wear development during machining and adjusting accordingly. This ensures that the best insert geometry, grade and cutting data are applied for the operation. To optimize turning, milling or drilling operations, inspect the cutting edge as it wears, or after it has worn, and determine what type of wear is present. Once the wear type is identified, the machining can be modified to prevent excessive wear from occurring. However, reducing any type of tool wear to achieve hours of tool life is useless if it causes a drastic reduction in productivity. Keep in mind that the main objective of a modern machining operation is to find the balance between tool life and productivity. For every metal cutting operation, there is always an 'ideal' wear development. The essence of machining optimization is to get as close as possible to that ideal wear pattern to maintain good tool life and high productivity. Selecting the right modern cutting tool; using the optimum starting values for cutting data; stable machining conditions; high quality workpiece materials; and metal cutting experience, are all factors that contribute to achieving the best tool life.

FLANK WEAR
The most commonly occurring type of insert wear. As the name indicates, this wear takes place on the clearance sides and/or flanks of the cutting edge. The main cause is abrasive wear, the result of hard particles in the workpiece material rubbing along the insert as it passes. Controlled flank wear is considered an ideal way for an insert to deteriorate. However, excessive flank wear leads to increasing friction and poor results in finish and If flank wear development is occurring too rapidly, check the cutting speed to make sure that it is not too high for the insert grade and operation in question. Also, a more wear resistant grade, higher up in the ISO application chart, is often the best remedy.

CRATER WEAR

Crater wear: takes place on the top face of the insert, where the chip passes over the cutting edge. The main wear mechanisms that create crater wear are abrasive and diffusion wear. In this case, the tool material is continuously removed by workpiece material chips as they pass over the tool at high temperature and pressure. Crater wear is also considered normal wear in many operations if kept within acceptable limits. Excessive crater wear changes the cutting geometry, and in time, leads to a dangerous weakening of the edge. Rapid crater wear is often the result of cutting speeds that are too high for the operation in question. A more wear resistant grade should be considered. The feed rate should also be checked, as the pressure of the cutting forces may be too high when combined with the excessive heat of a high cutting speed. A more positive geometry can usually help to reduce crater wear.

PLASTIC DEFORMATION
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Plastic deformation: occurs when high pressure

and temperatures weaken and depress the tool material in the insert.

This can happen either when the edge is pressed downward in the direction of machining or when the clearance side and/or flank is pressed inward. The tool material must retain sufficient hot hardness in order to resist plastic deformation. Unfortunately, the bulging of the edge leads to even more friction heat, geometry deformation and deteriorating chip control, escalating to a critical state. In finishing, the deformed edge leads to inferior part quality. A typical cause of plastic deformation is using an excessively high cutting speed and feed rate for the operation. Combat plastic deformation with a more wear resistant grade.

BUILT UP EDGE

Built-up edge: the formation of layers of workpiece material that become smeared and/or welded onto the cutting edge. Built-up edge (BUE) is usually a result of low cutting zone temperatures due to low cutting speed, often combined with insufficient or complete lack of coolant. BUE alters the cutting geometry, often making a positive insert more negative or reducing the clearance by smearing material onto the flank of the insert. Low temperatures combined with the pressure of metal cutting make certain materials more prone to this type of wear. Some of the very sticky materials require that certain measures be taken to prevent excessive BUE. Fortunately, the temperature and cutting speed areas of BUE formation are well defined and can be avoided. Most modern machining should be done at cutting data ranges that lie above the range at which BUE forms. Adjusting the cutting speed is always the first corrective action to take if BUE occurs. Make sure there is sufficient coolant or cutting fluid used. A more positive insert geometry should also be considered, since negative cutting angles are more likely to cause BUE. It may also be helpful, especially in finishing operations, to switch to a tool material that is less prone to reacting with the workpiece material and that creates less friction.

THERMAL CRACKING

Thermal cracking: heat-related wear, with fatigue occurring due to excessive thermal variations during machining.
Usually, thermal cracks run perpendicular to the cutting edge, although in some cases the cracks will run parallel to the edge. The edge is weakened as these cracks appear and tool material may be broken away between the cracks, leading to rapid breakdown of the cutting edge. This type of wear is a typical problem in milling, although in turning, large variations in chip thickness during cuts can also lead to the formation of thermal cracks. In finish turning, poor surface finish occurs when the cracks start to form. Incorrect or insufficient application of coolant is often the cause of thermal cracking. Milling is best performed without coolant and many times, turning can also be performed dry, since modern inserts do not rely on the cooling effect of cutting fluid for good performance. In general, coolant should either be used copiously to flood the workpiece, or not used at all so the machining takes place in dry conditions. Drilling and boring are exceptions to this rule, since these operations typically depend on coolant to help evacuate chips from the holes being machined. A tougher insert grade, lower down on the application chart, should also be considered as an option to improve metal cutting.

CHIPPING
Chipping: when small particles of the cutting edge break away and the important edge line of the insert is damaged.

Instead of wearing, the cutting edge is broken away prematurely. Chipping is usually fatigue-related, an indication that the cutting edge is not strong enough for the operation. Intermittent cutting also causes chipping due to the varying cycles of pressure being applied. Insert grades and geometries can also make an insert too brittle. An insert with more toughness may be required. This can usually be reduced by combining a wear resistant finishing grade with a roughing geometry with a reinforced cutting edge line. In some cases, changing to a tougher insert grade can also reduce chipping.

EDGE FRACTURE
Edge fracture: a catastrophic situation where the cutting edge breaks.

If edge fracturing occurs, something has gone seriously wrong or the tool and cutting data selection were totally incorrect. If cutting edge fracture occurs, every possible aspect of the whole operation should be re-assessed. Checking the cutting data and tool choice are especially important. Was the right tool selected for the operation? Was the cutting data too excessive for the tool used? The stability of the operation must also always be checked. For example, in roughing operations, a single-sided, rather than a double-sided, insert is necessary to maintain sufficient production security.

TOOL WEAR
1. The development of flank wear is measured in relation to the time the cutting edge has actually been machining so maximum values can be established. 2. A rise in the power needed to take cuts in the operation is an indication of wear. Carefully monitor the scale for increases in Hp power consumption. This indicates that cutting forces are growing due to the changes in the cutting edge. 3,4. In finishing operations, where there are limits on accuracy and surface finish, a worn cutting edge becomes apparent very quickly because the component will be out of tolerance or the surface finish will deteriorate. Most wear types lead to problems in this area. 5. Burr formation, especially in stainless steel machining, is also a sign that the cutting edge is not sharp enough or that the geometry is not as positive as it was in the beginning. Excessive flank wear, plastic deformation and BUE can cause the cutting edge to become blunt, causing burr formation. 6. An excessive or increasing amount of heat is also an indication that the cutting edge is no longer cutting as smoothly as it should due to wear. A blunt edge cause more friction and therefore more heat, during the metal cutting process.

TOOL WEAR
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7. Chipped or broken tools can often be spotted in the machine even without magnified inspection. This indicates more serious problems requiring careful assessment of the operational set-up and the tool and cutting data application. Vibrations will cause trouble, eventually leading to poor part quality, insert damage etc.

8,9. Visible wear on the chip and poor chip breaking occur when tool wear has been allowed to develop too far.

10. Noise is a widely recognized sign that something is going wrong in the metal cutting process. Excessive noise can be the result of vibrations caused by changes in the tool's cutting geometry due to wear. 11. Vibration tendency in the machining process may indicate that the cutting edge is blunt. This is especially true if there is chatter on the machined workpiece or if the quality of the surface finish deteriorates.

12. Cutting edge tool life is determined by its ability to maintain the required production tolerances and surface finish.

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