Machinability of Nodular Cast Irons : Tool Life Tests on Pearlitic Nodular Cast Irons

Tool life tests were conducted on nodular cast iron grades 100-70-03 and 80-60-03 with carbide and ceramic cutting tools. It was found that the cast iron cutting grade carbide wasc much superior to the steel cutting grade carbide from the standpoint of tool life and metal removal rate. With these carbides, crater wear developed at high speeds as well as flank wear in the entire speed range tested. Ceramic cutting tool had superior cutting performance. Its tool life was greater than that for the cast iron cutting grade carbide at high speeds. The slope of the tool life curve for a ceramic tool was much steeper than that for a carbide tool. Cutting performance for grade 80 nodular cast iron was not always better than that for grade 100 nodular cast iron, though grade 80 is a little softer than grade 100.