A Comparative Study on the Wear Mechanisms of Uncoated and TiAlTaN-Coated Tools Used in Machining AMPCO® Alloy

Abstract

A consistent evolution in materials developed for the industry and chip-start cutting processes has been acknowledged over the years. Cutting tool improvement through applying advanced coatings has proven very effective, enabling tool life (TL) extension while ensuring better surface quality. TiAlTaN coating enhances TL and surface quality in machining processes. However, only minimal research has been dedicated to comprehending the interaction between workpieces composed of Cu-Be and diamond tools. AMPCO®, a Cu-Be alloy, plays a crucial role in moulding inserts, offering high wear resistance and contributing to extended mould longevity and improved productivity. The main objective of this work is to assess, identify, and quantify tool wear (TW) mechanisms evaluation while machining AMPCO® with WC-Co uncoated tools and TiAlTaN-coated tools by physical vapour deposition (PVD). Evaluating tool performance while varying cutting length (Lcut) and feed rate (f) at three distinct levels and analysing the surface roughness (SR) produced in the machined surface were the primary purposes of this work. The results obtained with coated tools were distinct from those obtained with uncoated tools. While uncoated tools suffered from substrate abrasion and adhesion, the coated tools suffered mainly from delamination, followed by chipping. Furthermore, f and Lcut significantly influence the quality of the machined surface. TiAlTaN-coated tools performed significantly worse than uncoated tools, proving that the coating needs significant improvements to be considered as an alternative in milling Cu-Be alloys.