Thermo-chemical wear model and worn tool shapes for single-crystal diamond tools cutting steel

An Arrhenius-type thermochemical wear model proposed by past researchers is evaluated for predicting diamond tool wear when machining low carbon steel. Tool temperature values are determined using finite element modeling. These temperatures are related to tool wear measured after diamond turning tests on a low carbon steel workpiece to determine constants in the Arrhenius-type model. Measured tool wear shows a transition in worn tool shape from low speed (1 mm/s) to high speed (4 m/s) machining tests. Model results show a minimum value of wear per cutting distance occurs at a cutting speed of 2.5 m/s. The model also gives an activation energy between 25.0 kJ/mol and 29.3 kJ/mol. In addition, this model is used to explain experimental results obtained by others researching chemical wear of diamond.

► A temperature dependent chemical wear model is proposed based on the Arrhenius equation.
► Diamond turning tests on AISI 1215 steel were conducted and tool wear measured via electron-beam induced deposition method.
► Diamond tool wear shapes are highly dependent on cutting speed.
► Cutting tests were replicated using finite element simulation to obtain tool temperatures.
► Arrhenius equation coefficients show a highly catalyzed reaction which describes results from other researchers.