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Tool Wear of Aluminum-Chromium Based Coated Cemented Carbide in

Cutting Hardened Sintered Steel

Article in International Journal of Engineering and Technology · January 2014

DOI: 10.7763/IJET.2014.V6.701

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 IACSIT International Journal of Engineering and Technology, Vol. 6, No. 3, June 2014

Tool Wear of Aluminum-Chromium Based Coated

Cemented Carbide in Cutting Hardened Sintered Steel
Tadahiro Wada, Mitsunori Ozaki, Hiroyuki Hanyu, and Kinya Kawase

the cutting of the hardened steel [3] or the sintered steel [4],
Abstract—Tool life in turning sintered steels is shorter than there are few studies on tool wear in the cutting of the
that in turning melted steels such as carbon steels. In order to hardened sintered steel.
identify an effective tool material for cutting hardened sintered
An aluminum-chromium based coating film, namely
steel, tool wear was experimentally investigated. Hardened
sintered steel was turned with two kinds of PVD coated (Al,Cr)N coating film, which exhibits a superior critical
cemented carbide tools. The coating films used were (Ti,Al)N scratch load, has been developed. The aluminum-chromium
and (Al,Cr)N. The main results obtained are as follows: (1) The based coated tool was evaluated through the machining of
wear progress of the (Al,Cr)N coated cemented carbide tool was sintered steel, and showed greatly improved performance [5].
slower than that of the (Ti,Al)N coated cemented carbide tool. However, the effectiveness of the aluminum-chromium
(2) Because the (Al,Cr)N coating film exhibited both higher
coating film is unclear when cutting hardened sintered steel.
hardness and higher oxidation temperature, the wear progress
of the (Al,Cr)N coated cemented carbide became slower. (3) In In this study, to clarify the effectiveness of
cutting hardened sintered steel with (Al,Cr)N coated cemented aluminum-chromium coating film for cutting hardened
carbide tool, there was little influence of the cutting speed on the sintered steel, tool wear was experimentally investigated. The
tool wear within the range of the cutting speed from 0.5 m/s to hardened sintered steel was turned with an
1.0 m/s. aluminum-chromium based coated tool according to a
physical vapor deposition (PVD) method. Moreover, the tool
Index Terms—Turning, hardened sintered steel, physical
vapor deposition coating film, (Al,Cr)N, (Ti,Al)N. wear of the aluminum-chromium based coated item was
compared with that of (Ti,Al)N coated tools.

I. INTRODUCTION
II. EXPERIMENT DETAILS
A machine part having a complicated shape can be
mass-produced accurately by powder metallurgy. A diffusion The work material used was hardened sintered steel from
alloyed powder or a completely alloyed powder is usually diffusion alloyed powder. This material had a density of 7.1
used as an alloyed powder for the sintered steel. The Mg/m3, and many pores were observed when examining the
compressibility of the diffusion alloyed powder is better than structure by microscope. The chemical composition and the
that of the completely alloyed powder. After the sintering, the mechanical properties of the hardened sintered steel are
sintered material is quenched and tempered to improve the shown in Table I. That is, the hardened sintered steel had a
mechanical properties and wear-resistance. For dimensional hardness of 339 HBS. The cutting conditions are shown in
accuracy, it is often necessary for the sintered steel machine Table II. The tool material of the substrate was cemented
parts to be machined by the metal removal process [1]. As the carbide, and two types of PVD-coated cemented carbide were
sintered machine parts are often cut at high cutting speed for used. Namely, the coating films used were (Ti,Al)N and
mass-production, the tool materials must have good wear (Al,Cr)N coating film. (Al,Cr)N is a new type of coating film.
resistance. The polycrystalline cubic boron nitride compact The configurations of tool inserts were TNGA160408. The
(cBN) seems to be an effective tool material because it has insert was attached on the tool holder MTGNR2525M16. In
good heat resistance and wear resistance [2]. However, in this case, the tool geometry was (-6, -6, 6, 6, 30, 0, 0.8 mm).
milling, a major tool failure of cBN readily occurs by fracture The turning tests were carried out on a precision lathe
because cBN has poor fracture toughness. Coated cemented (Type ST5, SHOUN MACHINE TOOL Co., Ltd.) with an
carbide tools, which have good fracture toughness and wear added variable-speed drive. The driving power of this lathe is
resistance, seem to be effective tool materials. TiN, Ti(C,N) 7.5/11kW and the maximum rotational speed is 2500 min-1.
and (Ti, Al)N are generally used for the coating film. So, The tool wear of the two kinds of turning insert was
there are many studies on the wear-resistance of these coating investigated.
layers. Although there are some studies on the tool wear
TABLE I: CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND PROPERTIES OF HARDENED
characteristics of the PVD coated cemented carbide tools in SINTERED STEEL
Chemical composition (mass %)
Manuscript received June 15, 2013; revised July 30, 2013. C Cu Ni Mo Fe
Tadahiro Wada and Mitsunori Ozaki are with the Nara National College 0.3 - 0.7 1-2 3-5 0.2 - 0.8 Bal.
of Technology, 22 Yata-cho, Yamatokoriyama 639-1080, Japan (e-mail:
wada@mech.nara-k.ac.jp). Properties
Mitsunori Ozaki is with the Nara National College of Technology. Hardness Density
Hiroyuki Hanyu is with the OSG Corporation. 339 HBS (5mm/7350N) 7.1 Mg/m3
Kinya Kawase is with the Diamet Corporation.

DOI: 10.7763/IJET.2014.V6.701 223

 IACSIT International Journal of Engineering and Technology, Vol. 6, No. 3, June 2014

TABLE II: CUTTING CONDITIONS cemented carbide is an effective tool material in cutting
Cutting speed V=0.50, 0.75, 1.00 [m/s] hardened sintered steel, so Scanning Electron Microscopy
Feed rate S=0.05 [mm/rev]
(SEM) observation and Energy Dispersive X-ray
Depth of cut a=0.1 [mm]
Tool geometry (-6, -6, 6, 6, 30, 0, 0.8mm)
Spectrometer (EDS) analysis were carried out on the worn
Substrate: Cemented carbide ISO K10 surface.
Tool insert
Coating film: (Ti,Al)N,(Al,Cr)N Fig. 3 shows the SEM observation and EDS mapping
Cutting method Dry analysis on the worn surface of the (Ti,Al)N coated tool and
the (Al, Cr)N coated tool. Fig.3 (a) shows the details of “A”
shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 (b) shows the EDS analysis in the case
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION of the oxygen (O) mapping on the cutting part shown in Fig. 1.
The hardened sintered steel was turned with two kinds of First, as compared with the worn surface of (Ti,Al)N coating
coated cemented carbide tool at a feed rate of 0.05 mm/rev film indicated by “B” shown in Fig. 3 i(a) and that of
and a depth of cut of 0.1 mm. Fig. 1 shows the SEM (Al,Cr)N coating film indicated by “B” shown in Fig. 3 ii(a),
observation of the tool wear. Fig.1 (a) and (b) show the case many striae scratched by a hard material are remarkably
of the (Ti,Al)N coated and the (Al,Cr)N coated tool at a found on the worn surface in the case of both the (Ti,Al)N
cutting speed of 1.00 m/s, respectively. In the case of the and the (Al,Cr)N coating film. Therefore, the main wear
(Ti,Al)N coated tool shown in Fig. 1 (a), a crater is found on mechanism of both the (Ti,Al)N and the (Al,Cr)N coating
the rake face along the cutting edge, and adhesion on both the film is considered to be abrasive wear. In the case of abrasive
rake and flank faces is not remarkable either. Also, the wear, the wear-resistance of the coating film often depends
flaking of the coating layer is not remarkable. In the case of on the hardness of the coating film. That is, a coating film
the (Al,Cr)N coated tool shown in Fig. 1 (b), there is no with higher hardness has good wear-resistance. So, the
remarkable crater on the rake face. And adhesion on the flank characteristics of the coating films were investigated. The
face is found, while the flaking of the coating layer is also results are shown in Table III. The thickness of coating of
unremarkable. (Al,Cr)N film is 3 μm, which is the same as that of (Ti,Al)N
film. The (Al,Cr)N coating is harder than the (Ti,Al)N
coating because the wear progress of (Al,Cr)N is considered
to be slower than that of (Ti,Al)N.
TABLE III: PROPERTIES OF COATING FILMS
A Coating Thickness Hardness Coefficient Oxidation
film of friction temperature
[μm] [HV0.25N] [K]
(Ti,Al)N 3.0 2800 0.30 1123
(Al,Cr)N 3.0 3100 0.25 1373

(a) (Ti,Al)N, L=1.9 km 0.4

VBmax/mm

Cutting edge Hardened sintered steel,

V=1.00 m/s, S=0.05 mm/rev, a=0.1 mm, Dry
0.3
Face
Flank wear width,

0.2
A
0.1
（Al,Cr)N coated
（Ti,Al)N coated

0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000

100 μm
Flank Cutting distance, L/m
(b) (Al,Cr)N, L=4.5 km Fig. 2. Comparison of wear progress of the (Ar,Cr)N coated and (Ti,Al)N
coated tool at cutting speed of 1.00 m/s, feed rate of 0.05 mm/rev, depth of
Fig. 1. Tool wear at cutting speed of 1.00 m/s, feed rate of 0.05 mm/rev, cut of 0.1 mm and cutting method of dry cutting.
depth of cut of 0.1 mm and cutting method of dry cutting. (a) (Ti,Al)N coated
tool and (b) (Al,Cr)N coated tool.
Second, as compared with the oxygen element on the worn
Following these experiments, it emerged that the main tool surface of the (Ti,Al)N coating film shown in Fig. 3 i(b) and
failure for two kinds of coated tools in cutting hardened that of the (Al,Cr)N coating film shown in Fig. 3 ii(b), the
sintered steel was the flank wear within a maximum value of oxygen element of the (Al,Cr)N coating film, which was
the flank wear width of about 0.2 mm. Therefore, the turned at long cutting distance, is less than that of the
maximum value of the flank wear width (VBmax) was (Ti,Al)N coating film. Therefore, the cutting temperature of
measured by microscope. the (Al,Cr)N coating film is considered to be lower than that
Fig. 2 shows the wear progress in cutting two kinds of of the (Ti,Al)N coating film, and the wear progress of the
coated tools at a cutting speed of 1.00 m/s. The wear progress (Al,Cr)N is slower than that of the (Ti,Al)N. One reason for
of the (Al,Cr)N coated tool is slower than that of the (Ti,Al)N the lower cutting temperature of the (Al,Cr)N coating film is
coated tool. As mentioned above, the (Al,Cr)N coated as follows.

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 IACSIT International Journal of Engineering and Technology, Vol. 6, No. 3, June 2014

(a) (a) in Fig. 5 (a). First, as compared with the tool wear of the
cutting speed 1.00 m/s shown in Fig. 1 (b) and that of the
B
cutting speed 0.50 m/s shown in Fig. 5 (a), the tool wear of
B the cutting speed 0.50 m/s shows the same characteristics as
that of the cutting speed 1.00 m/s. Next, as compared with the
worn surface of the cutting speed 1.00 m/s indicated by “B”
10 μm shown in Fig. 3 (ii)(a) and that of the cutting speed of 0.50
m/s indicated by “B” shown in Fig. 5 (b), many striae
scratched by any hard material are remarkably found on the
(b) (b) worn surface in the case of both the cutting speed 1.00 m/s
and the 0.50 m/s. Therefore, the main wear mechanism of the
cutting speed 1.00 m/s and the 0.50 m/s is considered to be
abrasive wear. Finally, as compared with the oxygen element
on the worn surface of the cutting speed 1.00 m/s shown in
Fig. 3 (ii)(b) and that of the 0.50 m/s shown in Fig. 5 (c), the
oxygen mapping on the cutting part shown in the cutting
speed 0.50 m/s shows the same characteristics as that of the
cutting speed 1.00 m/s. Therefore, the cutting speed is
(i) (Ti,Al)N, L=1.9 km (ii) (Al,Cr)N, L=4.5 km considered to have little influence on the cutting temperature
Fig. 3. SEM observation and EDS mapping analysis on the worn surface (i) within the range of the cutting speed from 0.50 m/s to 1.00
(Ti,Al)N coated tool and (ii) (Al, Cr)N coated tool at cutting speed of 1.00 m/s.
m/s, feed rate of 0.05 mm/rev, depth of cut of 0.1 mm and cutting method of
dry cutting. (a) details of A shown in Fig. 1 and (b) EDS analysis of oxygen Cutting edge
mapping shown in Fig. 1
(a) Face
0.4
A
VBmax/mm

Hardened sintered steel,（Al,Cr)N coated,

S=0.05mm/rev, a=0.1mm, Dry
0.3
Flank wear width,

0.50 m/s
0.75 m/s
0.2 1.00 m/s
100 μm
Flank
0.1
(b)
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000
Cutting distance, L/m B
Fig. 4. Relation between cutting distance and flank wear width at various
cutting speeds with (Al,Cr)N coated tool at a feed rate of 0.05 mm/rev, depth
of cut of 0.1 mm and cutting method of dry cutting.

That is, the (Al,Cr)N coating film has a lower coefficient

of friction as compared with the (Ti,Al)N coating film. 10 μm
Furthermore, the (Al,Cr)N coating film has a lower oxidation
temperature as shown in Table III. This is considered to be
(c)
the reason why there is less tool wear of the (Al,Cr)N coated
tool.
As mentioned above, (Al,Cr)N was found to have superior
properties for coating material compared to (Ti,Al)N in
cutting hardened sintered steel.
In cutting hardened sintered steel at various cutting speeds,
the wear progress was investigated at a feed rate of 0.05
mm/rev and a depth of cut of 0.1 mm. Fig. 4 shows the
influence of the cutting speed on the tool wear. There is little
influence of the cutting speed on the tool wear within the
range of cutting speed from 0.5 m/s to 1.0 m/s. So, SEM
observation and EDS analysis was carried out on the worn Fig. 5. SEM observation and EDS mapping analysis on the worn surface of
surface. (Al, Cr)N coated tool at cutting speed of 0.50 m/s. (a) SEM observation of
cutting part, (b) details of A shown in Figs. (a), and (c) EDS analysis of
Fig. 5 shows the tool wear in the case of a cutting speed of oxygen mapping shown in Fig. (a).
0.50 m/s. Fig. 5 (a) and (b) shows the SEM observation and
Fig. 5 (c) shows the EDS analysis. Fig. 5 (b) shows the details As mentioned above the cutting speed is considered to
of A shown in Fig. 5 (a). Fig. 5 (c) shows the EDS analysis in have little influence on the tool wear within the range of the
the case of the oxygen (O) mapping on the cutting part shown cutting speed from 0.50 m/s to 1.00 m/s.

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 IACSIT International Journal of Engineering and Technology, Vol. 6, No. 3, June 2014

IV. CONCLUSIONS hardened sintered steel.

In this study, to clarify the effectiveness of
aluminum-chromium coating film for cutting hardened REFERENCES
sintered steels, tool wear was experimentally investigated. [1] JSPE, Handbook of Precision Machining, Tokyo, CORONA
PUBLISHING CO., LTD., 1992, pp. 139 (in Japanese).
The hardened sintered steel was turned with an [2] T. Wada, K. Hiro, J. Fujiwara, and S. Hanasaki, “Machinability of
aluminum-chromium based coated tool according to a hardened sintered steel,” in Proc. the Seventh International Conference
physical vapor deposition (PVD) method. Moreover, the tool on Progress of Machining Technology, Ed. W. Y. Chen, Y. Yamane, R.
Fan, and A. Ochu, 2004, pp.74-79.
wear of the aluminum-chromium based coated item was [3] Y. Amada, T. Aoki et al., “Cutting performance of coated cemented
compared with that of the (Ti,Al)N coated tools. carbide tools for hard work materials,” Trans of JSME, Series C, 1994,
The main results obtained are as follows: vol. 60, no. 577, pp.2906-2910.
1) The wear progress of the (Al,Cr)N coated cemented [4] S. Hanasaki, J. Fujiwara, T. Wada, and K. Hiro, “Tool wear of PVD
coated cemnted carbide tool in turning of forged sintered material,” ”
carbide tool was slower than that of the (Ti,Al)N in Proc. the 5th International Conference on Progress of Machining
coated cemented carbide tool. Technology, Ed. D. C. Chen, N. Narutaki, Y. Yamane, W. Y. Chen, and
2) Because the (Al,Cr)N coating film exhibited both A. Ochu, 2000, pp.42-47.
[5] T. Wada, K. Iwamoto, H. Hanyu, and K. Kawase, “Tool wear of
higher hardness and higher oxidation temperature, (Al,Cr)N coated cemented carbide in cutting sintered steel,” Journal of
the wear progress of the (Al,Cr)N coated cemented the Japan Society of Powder and Powder Metallurgy, vol. 58,
carbide became slower. pp.459-462, 2011.
3) In addition, because the cutting temperature becomes
lower due to the lower coefficient of friction of the Tadahiro Wada received the B.S. degree in
(Al,Cr)N coating film, the wear progress of the engineering in 1978 from Kanazawa University and
the M.A. degree in engineering in 1980 from Osaka
(Al,Cr)N coated cemented carbide became slower. University in Japan. He got the Ph.D in engineering in
4) In cutting hardened sintered steel with a (Al,Cr)N 1986 from Osaka University.
coated cemented carbide tool, there was little He is now a professor at Precision Laboratory in the
Mechanical Engineering of Nara National College of
influence of the cutting speed on the tool wear within Technology. Field of his research is the
the range of the cutting speed from 0.50 m/s to 1.00 Manufacturing Engineering, Surface Modification
m/s. and Machining Performance.
As mentioned above, it was clear that the (Al,Cr)N coated
cemented carbide is an effective tool material in cutting

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