Wear of PVD-coated solid carbide end mills in dry high-speed cutting

The aim of the present research of wear behaviour on the PVD-coated solid carbide end mills in dry high-speed cutting (HSC) is to find the main causes for unpredicted tool life. The contribution presents some results of characteristic wear types. The high cutting temperature, which is a result of high-speed cutting enhance diffusion and oxidation process. Diffusion processes between the chip and the top rake surface of the cutting edge result in crater wear, and oxidation reactions with the environment (air cooling in dry cutting) induce scaling of the cutting edge. The characteristic wear of such tools (so-called “central wear”) can be used to define the tool life in the case of high-speed milling of alloyed tool steel X63CrMoV5.1 (hardness >47 HRC).