Influence of secondary carbides on microstructure, wear mechanism, and tool performance for different cermet grades during high-speed dry finish turning of AISI 304 stainless steel

This research investigates wear morphology of a Ti(C,N)-based cermet tools used for the high-speed dry turning of austenitic stainless steel (AISI 304) specifically for finishing operation. The goal of this study is to investigate the influence of compositions from different cermet tools supplied by various manufacturers on microstructure, properties and tool wear morphology while finishing turning of AISI 304. A progressive wear study was performed at a fixed cutting length interval to measure the tool wear of different cermet tools. The tool wear and structure of cermet tools were examined by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Tool material compositions and phases were determined using Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The results show that different elemental concentrations alter the microstructure of cermet tools by changing its core size and shape, which eventually shows the influence on mechanical properties and machining performance. The study also indicates that various elements are forming different compositions in cermet tools that play a critical role in determining their binding strength, heat resistance and lubricity during machining, which significantly affects the tool life.