Evaluation of the Wear Characteristics of Different Cold Tool Steels

Abstract

Cold work tool steels are steels containing high carbon and chromium. It has good machinability when hard and pre-treated. Heat treatment was carried out in selected tool steels. The effect of heat treatment on structure and wear behavior of different tool steels was investigated. Heat treated samples were examined with optical microscopy (OM) and XRD analysis. Test materials were subsequently tested wear test by using pin on disk. The best wear performance was obtained from the sample having the smallest and homogenous distributed carbides. The rise in wear strength was accredited to the softer retained austenite to the harder martensite phase and metal structure in the form of fine carbide. The wear resistance of S1 steel was minimum.