Pin-on-disc wear testing of tungsten carbide with a new moving pin technique

Abstract

The objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of a new moving pin technique for pin-on-disc wear testing which is more efficient and able to fully utilize the disc surface area in the wear testing process. The experiment was carried out on an Okuma model LS30-N computer numerical control (CNC) lathe with a G96 constant speed command. Sandvik Grade S6 tungsten carbide inserts were used as pins and three types of disc materials, namely low carbon steel, medium carbon steel and hardened tool steel, were employed. Both the moving pin and the stationary pin wear testing methods were carried out. The weight loss of the inserts from each test was measured. The wear rate and the wear coefficient of the inserts were then determined. It was found that the wear rate and the wear coefficient of tungsten carbide varied from 1.07×10 −7 to 0.18×10 −7 mm 3/mm and 1.09×10 −6 to 0.58×10 −6, respectively. The wear coefficient was again found to be a better parameter for comparing the wear of tungsten carbide inserts and the results obtained from the new moving pin testing technique were also found to be more consistent.