Instrument: Philips XL-40 SEM-EDX

Techniques: SE imaging

Summary: Cutting tools, made of high speed steels or cemented carbide materials, suffer from various types of wear failures depending on the work metals, machining speed, etc. The wear resistance can be significantly improved by PVD hard coatings. The top micrograph shows fracture of a high speed steel end-mill tool in high-speed cutting aerospace aluminium alloy. The middle micrograph shows pitting wear observed on the plasma nitrided cutting edge. The micrograph in the bottom shows features of abrasive wear of a high speed steel tool in high speed milling of a highly abrasive alloy used in automotive engines, the cast aluminium silicon alloy Al9SiMg.

For more information on our SEM services relating to research and consultancy, please contact Dr. Quanshun Luo