Analysis of the effects of the single abrasive-grain microcutting scratch on INCOLOY® Alloy 800HT® by using advanced CLSM-SEM techniques

Knowledge and understanding of modern machining processes requires, in many cases, not only the use of typical surface topography methods but also imaging methods such as numerous varieties of advanced confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. This work demonstrated that these microscopic techniques can be successfully used for accurate measuring and analyzing of the effects of the scratch tests. The experimental tests were carried out on the internal cylindrical sample surface made of INCOLOY (R) alloy 800HT (R), with the traces shaped by a single abrasive grain of microcrystalline sintered corundum SG. One of the traces formed was prepared for gathering more advanced measurements in order to determine the most important elementary phenomena dominant during the microcutting process. These measurements were carried out using the 3D laser microscope LEXT OLS4000 by Olympus and an electron microscope JSM-5500LV by JEOL with X-ray spectrometer module INCAPentaFET-x3 and a Si(Li) detector manufactured by Oxford Instruments, as well as an opto-digital microscope DSX500 by Olympus (used as a reference instrument). All measurement data acquired were analyzed using dedicated software, which significantly improved the possibilities for effective interpretation of the results obtained from the experimental tests. Analysis of the test results showed that the microcrystalline sintered corundum abrasive grain generates scratches with a highly developed morphology on the workpiece surface. On the abrasive grains were observed both signs of fracture wear due to mechanical and thermal shock loads as well as abrasive wear of the abrasive grain active vertexes.