The use of surface strengthening to increase the wear resistance of working bodies of agricultural machines

Abstract

The research was aimed at investigating effective methods of surface strengthening of the working bodies of agricultural machines to increase their wear resistance and extend their service life. The study used surface hardening methods such as heat treatment, chemical and thermal processes, coatings, and mechanical methods. It has been shown that various methods of surface hardening significantly increase the wear resistance of working parts of agricultural machinery. The use of such heat treatment as induction hardening increased the resistance to wear due to localised heating and rapid cooling, which led to an increase in the hardness of the material. Chemical and heat treatment, including carburisation, nitrocementation and nitration, showed a significant improvement in surface layer hardness and increased corrosion resistance. Mechanical methods such as shot blasting and roller hardening have increased hardness and wear resistance by 30-50% due to plastic surface deformation. It has been proven that the use of surfacing and coatings of physical vapour deposition/chemical vapour deposition increases the durability of parts by 20-40%, which reduces operating costs and increases the productivity of agricultural machinery. The study examined approaches to enhancing the wear resistance of agricultural machinery’s working parts, highlighting a notable issue: Ukrainian agricultural machinery often exhibits a shorter service life (1.2-2 times less) compared to imported counterparts. The analysis focuses on the reasons behind the wear and deterioration of cultivator teeth, with particular emphasis on how wear affects the size and shape of the working parts, resulting in decreased efficiency. The surface strengthening methods under study can be directly implemented in production to increase the durability and reliability of working parts of agricultural machinery, which would help to increase their efficiency and reduce operating costs

Keywords

• carburisation
• induction hardening
• heat treatment
• titanium nitride
• diamond-like carbon coatings