Technical Note: Life-time improvement and the cutting forces in nitrogen-implanted drills during wood-based material machining

Abstract

This study explored the effects of nitrogen (N) ion implantation of drills for wood-based materials. Modification of a tool's surface is a common process of prolonging its lifetime. For the purpose of this study, ion implantation was used for modification of drills commonly used in the furniture industry. The rake face of high-speed steel drills was implanted with different doses of nitrogen ions. Durability tests were conducted with the use of a computerized numerical control woodworking machine used for drilling laminated particleboards. The cutting force and drilling torque were measured. The obtained results were presented as wear curves of the examined drill bits. Based on the results, tools implanted with nitrogen ions at different doses had a longer tool life.

Effect of Nitrogen Ion Implantation on the Tool Life Used in Particleboard CNC Drilling

“…Tools of this type are commonly used in the furniture industry. All drills (six pieces per type of modification) were implanted with nitrogen ions using a non-mass separated beam (direct beam), generated by a semi-industrial implanter [ 1 ], from the side of the brad point bits, as shown in Figure 2 .…”

“…The selected elements of the microstructure in the transverse micro-sections, obtained using SEM and EDS methods, were presented in our previous paper [ 1 ]. No changes in the microstructure were observed due to the ion implantation, at this level of the observation.…”

“…Regardless of the introduction of new tool materials in wood machining, such as WC-Co composites and polycrystalline diamonds, high-speed tool steel (HSS) is still a tool material of choice in CNC drilling [ 1 ]. The popularity of this material can be explained by the lower cost, the reduction in breakage in the older spindles and hand routers, the sharper edges allowing for easier hand feeding, and the different geometries [ 1 , 2 , 3 ].…”

“…However, there are few scientific reports that concern the implantation of the drill bits used for cutting in the wood industry with ions [ 1 ]. Wilkowski examined the service life of HSS drills when drilling laminated chipboard with nitrogen ion implantation at various doses, while one type of accelerating voltage was used—60 kV.…”

Properties of WCCo Composites Produced by the SPS Method Intended for Cutting Tools for Machining of Wood-Based Materials

“…They may also occur simultaneously. The partial effects which make up the tool wear process are mechanical, thermal, chemical, and physical interactions between the tool and the material being cut in the environment defined by the machine tool [ 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 ].…”