Experimental investigation of tool wear characteristics and analytical prediction of tool life using a modified tool wear rate model while machining 90 tungsten heavy alloys

Abstract

Tungsten heavy alloys are widely used in the manufacturing of weights for aircraft, missiles, boats and race cars; penetrators; radiation shielding; and radioisotope containers. Manufacturing these components needs machining as a secondary operation. Since tungsten heavy alloys are difficult to machine, the in-depth analysis of tool wear growth and mechanism during machining of these alloys becomes essential. Hence, this work focuses on the experimental study of flank wear growth and its effect on other machining outputs for two different tool geometries (−5° and 2° rake angles) during turning of 90 tungsten heavy alloys. The predominant wear mechanism was identified as adhesion based on scanning electron microscopic analysis. Finally, three commonly used analytical tool wear rate models and one newly proposed model (modified Zhao model) were utilized for the prediction of flank wear growth and tool life. It was observed that the modified Zhao model could predict tool flank wear fairly well within error percentage of 4%–7% and thus could be used as a benchmark while machining difficult-to-cut alloys.