WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., April 28, 2009 — Research at Purdue University by Professor Rado Gazo demonstrated that cryogenically treated tungsten carbide router bits, subsequently cooled as they were used, showed substantial increases in tool life, in some cases doubling them.
“Excessive heat is a major contributor to premature tool wear,” Gazo said. “At high temperatures, the cobalt melts and evaporates. As that glue vaporizes, the tungsten-carbide particles simply fall off.”
Cryogenically treating the bits hardened them. The bits were cooled by blowing cool air on them while in use. The result was tools exhibiting longer useful life and better performance. Only cryogenically treating the bits resulted in a 65 percent increase over the control tool. Just cooling the tool resulted in a 25 percent increase in tool life. Two levels of cooling were tested, 40-degree Fahrenheit air and 20-degree Fahrenheit air. Cooling the cryogenically-treated tool with 20-degree Fahrenheit air produced an increased tool life of 217 percent.
Gazo’s results were published in the online edition of the Journal of Materials Processing Technology. The research was funded by the Purdue Center for Advanced Manufacturing. Tools and materials were supplied by Vortex Tool Co. and EXAIR.
Read the full story at http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/x/2009a/090428GazoTools.html
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