Investigation of the effect of boron carbide-doped diamond sockets on cutting performance in granite cutting

Abstract

In the study, boron carbide was added to the matrix in different ratios in order to increase the wear resistance of the socket matrix and to strengthen the bond at the matrix interface with the diamond. Under the same sintering conditions, eight different tool sockets were produced. One of them is boron carbide non-doped (0% B4C) reference socket. The others are boron carbide-doped sockets in different ratios (1-2-3-4-5-6-7% B4C). The produced sockets were welded around a 350-mm saw to produce circular saws. In the study, firstly, the metallographic properties of the boron carbide non-doped (0% B4C) and boron carbide-doped (1-2-3-4-5-6-7% B4C) sockets such as theoretical densities, unit volume weights, porosity, Knoop hardness (HK), and weight wear loss were determined. Cutting experiments were then carried out (under constant cutting conditions) with eight different circular saws on a single hard stone species with a homogeneous structure. At the end of cutting experiments, the power consumption, specific cutting energy, specific abrasion, and noise levels of each saw were determined. Cutting performance of boron carbide non-doped and doped circular saws has been investigated taking into account the metallographic properties of the sockets. At the end of the study, the lowest power consumption and specific cutting energy consumption due to high porosity and low hardness were obtained at 7% B4C-doped sockets. It was determined that the lowest specific abrasion value was found in sockets with 4% B4C doped due to the low porosity and high hardness value, and the lowest noise level was found in 1% B4C-doped sockets.