Influence of Ion Implantation on the Wear and Lifetime of Circular Saw Blades in Industrial Production of Wooden Door Frames

Abstract

The paper presents the effect of nitrogen ion implantation on tool wear and tool life during the sawing of wood-based materials in the industrial production of door frames. The circular saw blades used in machining had WC-Co carbide teeth. Saw teeth were modified by ion implantation. The total implanted dose of nitrogen ions was 5 × 1017 cm−2 (2 × 2.5 × 1017 cm−2) and ions were implanted at 50 kV acceleration voltage. Tool wear testing was carried out under industrial production conditions for the door frames made of wood-based materials. The wear of circular saw teeth was evaluated under an optical microscope. Based on the tool’s wear and machining distance, a mathematical linear model of the non-treated and ion-implanted tools’ life was developed using the linear least squares method. The study showed less wear of the implanted circular saw blades and a significant increase in the estimated lifetime of modified tools compared to non-treated (control) tools. At the same time, activation of the surface of the implanted circular saw teeth was observed, manifested by an increase in adhesion and the appearance of the secondary structures on the WC-Co surface.

Keywords

• tungsten carbide WC-Co
• nitrogen ion implantation
• tool wear
• tool life
• wood-based materials
• circular saw