Influence of cutting parameters on the tool life for WC-Co composites in the machining of wood-based materials

TL;DR: In this article , the microstructure and durability tests of the blades during particleboardmilling processes were carried out, and it was concluded that when the lowest feed per tooth (Δz = 0.15 mm) was used, the tools had the longest tool life.

Abstract: WC-Co cemented carbides are the most commonly used material for machining wood-based materials. They owe their popularity to good properties, such as hardness and, at the same time, high fracture toughness. A significant impact on the properties of cemented carbides can have the method of their preparation. The durability of WC-Co tools can be improved by selecting the appropriate machining parameters. The study attempted to determine the optimum machining parameters for particleboard. The tools used in the study were both commercial blades and blades manufactured in laboratory conditions by sparkplasma sintering (SPS), using a mixture of WC6%Co powders. As part of this work, observations of the microstructure and durability tests of the blades during particleboardmilling processes were carried out. Wear of the tool was measured until loss on the contact surface VBmax, was 0.2 mm. Based on the tests, it can be concluded that when the lowest feed per tooth (Δz = 0.15 mm) was used, the tools had the longest tool life. In addition, the commercial tools covered a significantly longer cutting distance than the tools obtained using the SPS method.