Surface integrity of laser prepared cutting edges

• Applicants: Professor Dr.-Ing. Jan C. Aurich; Dr. Thomas Herrmann
• Subject Area: Metal-Cutting and Abrasive Manufacturing Engineering
• Term: from 2016 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 319868306

The performance of cutting tools is considerably affected by the micro geometry of the cutting tool. Current demands on the technique used to prepare the cutting edge with regard to the accuracy of the manufactured micro geometry and the surface integrity of the cutting edge are difficult to be met. Laser technology allows the machining of tool micro geometries with high accuracies. However, the surface integrity of such tool micro geometries often does not cover the demands, such as low tensile stresses and the prevention of voids. In this proposal, the surface integrities of laser prepared cutting edges of cemented carbide indexable inserts used for turning will be investigated. The percentage of the binder phase, the size of the tungsten carbide and important laser- and process parameters will be varied to prepare the cutting edges. Different settings will be used to evaluate the effect of specific laser parameters (e.g. the pulse duration, wavelength or pulse repetition frequency), process parameters (e.g. the temporal or spatial pulse overlap) and the composition of the cemented carbide on the surface integrity of the cutting edges after laser machining. Thus, appropriate strategies for the laser preparation of cutting edges can be derived for specific cemented carbides. Finally, laser prepared cutting edges will be used for external cylindrical turning. The preparation strategies for these indexable inserts will be different. Effects of the preparation strategy on the performance of the indexable inserts can thus be evaluated. A phenomenological model will be developed in order to summarize the results. The results of the proposal enhance the performance of indexable inserts by using laser technology for the preparation of cutting edges.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants