Failure Modes of Tungsten Carbide CuttersⅠ

Tungsten carbide cutters fail in a number of different ways. Unfortunately, there is no “one best” grade of carbide for all applications and replacing one grade with another may decrease the probability of one type of failure from occurring, but generally increases the odds that a different one will occur. Carbide grades are normally selected so that the useful life of the cutters and the mode of failure are fairly predictable. In this way unscheduled or disruptive outages of the assemblies which include the carbide component are avoided and the scheduled replacement of parts prior to failure is an option. A brief description of each of the common modes of failure follows.

1. Abrasive /Erosion Wear

Abrasive or erosion wear represents a form of mechanical attack at the working surface of the carbide component. It is the progressive loss of material at the carbide surface due to a high velocity stream of liquid or gas containing solid particles directed into or flowing across the surface of the carbide cutters. It may also result from the sliding or rubbing of a mating component or work material over the carbide cutter surface. The rate of wear depends in part on the force or pressure with which the contact medium impinges on the carbide cutter surface. The progressive wear caused by abrasion or erosion is a preferred mode of failure since it does not result in a total breakdown or stoppage of the operation dependent on the failing component.

(To be continued. This article is divided into 9 parts and this is part 1.)

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