Failure analysis of ceramic tool in intermittent turning of hardened steel

The aim of this investigation is to identify the Al2O3-(W, Ti)C ceramic fracture modes and failure mechanisms under different cutting speeds and feed rates during intermittent turning of hardened 20CrMnTi steel. The failure surfaces of the cutting tools were examined by digital optical microscope and scanning electron microscope. The cutting forces and transient temperature in the intermittent turning process were measured during the entire life cycle. The experimental results showed that the cutting forces exhibited an increasing trend with the tool failure progression, which in turn accelerated the tool failure progression. The main failure modes of ceramic tools were wear and micro-chipping in the initial stage and final fractures, resulting from mechanical damage and thermal damage in intermittent turning processes. And the cutting temperature increased with the increase in cutting speed. The cutting speeds and feed rates were closely correlated with ceramic tool fracture modes and failure mechanisms. Furthermore, the combination of cutting parameters was divided into four regions with different fracture modes and failure mechanisms of cutting tools according to the fracture morphology of cutting tools. This partitioning analysis can provide a basis for the design and development of different ceramic cutting tools with the desired properties for different applications.