Tool life experiment of coated cermet during nodular cast iron turning

Abstract

In this study, the application of physical vapor deposition (PVD) coatings on various cermet substrates for the machining of nodular cast iron was investigated, given that cermet materials are traditionally not the primary choice for such applications. Through the evaluation of key parameters including wear on the flank face and surface roughness, and with vibration analysis serving as a supplementary measurement, it was discovered that machining stability is compromised by the inherent brittleness of cermet and the adhesion of material on the rake face. While the application of coatings was found to extend tool life, the cermet-coating combinations did not surpass the performance of other materials such as cemented carbide with multi-layer coatings. Notably, the stability of surface roughness across various stages of tool wear was observed.