Analysis of Machining Hardened Steels Using Coated Cutting Tools

Laser heat-treated tool steels provide a challenge to process, especially machining and grinding. After hardening, the material becomes very abrasive. It can be a difficult material to grind let alone process in a single point operation. During laser hardening operations, carbon, chromium, and molybdenum atoms enrich austenite grains in the structure of the steel. This directly affects the hardness of the specimen. There is a large amount of molybdenum carbides that contributes to the excellent wear resistance of this material. The result is a low toughness that is acceptable for a number of applications. Laser-hardened D2 tool steel is generally used for cold working operations such as stamping and forming. The characteristics are high resistance to wear and cracking.