Metrological Evaluation of Secondary Adhesion Wear Effects in the Dry Turning of UNS-A92024-T3 Alloy through Focus-variation Microscopy (FVM)

Tool wear concept has been usually related with the loss of tool material. Currently, it must not involve only this way, since wear includes all the changes of the tool properties -geometrical and physicochemical- which modify the initial cutting conditions. Therefore, tool geometrical alterations can also include material addition. Transfer of cutting material to cutting tool during machining process of aluminium alloys, is strongly related with the secondary or indirect adhesion wear mechanisms, in form of layer (Built-Up Layer, BUL) onto the tool rake face and/or bulk (Built-Up Edge, BUE) located on the cutting edge. High resolution tridimensional models from tested cutting tools have been obtained with Focus-Variation Microscopy (FVM) techniques. Adhesion wear parameters have been defined in the FVM images and they have allowed evaluating the wear effects on WC-Co cutting tools in the dry turning of UNS-A92024-T3 alloy.