Mechanical Engineering - Production Engineering - Discussion

At high temperature, WC disintegrates to W + C.

The Carbon atom diffuses to workpiece thereby creating a hole/crater.

Tungsten carbide tool is very prone to crater wear.

Crater wear is usually found while machining brittle materials and tungsten carbide tools favour this phenomenon.

Crater wear occurs due to temperature mainly. And high carbon tool steel withstands the least temperature 250°C. 250°C is too low for diffusion. HSS will withstand 600°C it is also low for diffusion. WC (Tungsten Carbide) tool contains cobalt as a binder which can diffuse as the temperature is 800°C to 900°C. Ceramics are carbide or oxides of metal it will not diffuse.

Crater wear is usually found while machining brittle materials and tungsten carbide tools favour this phenomenon.