Prediction and control of undesirable deterioration of cutting
tools are the most essential challenges emanating in the design
of tool which has to be checked. As a result of an increase in
wear rate of HSS cutting tools, so has the need for wear
resistant. The result has been a progression of carburizing the
tools for better performance. Based on the theoretical analysis
and study of tool wear and parameters that mitigates against
wear resistance of cutting tools, this research work presents an
experimental investigation and analysis of the wear properties
of carburized HSS cutting tools. Twelve Samples under
consideration were carburized HSS (ASTM A600) tools
(0.65% C) treated at 800,850,900 and 950oC with holding
time of 60, 90 and 120 minutes respectively. The wear
properties of weight loss, wear volume, wear resistance and
wear rate were carried out using Rotopol –V, impact tester,
polisher, grinder and weight scale. It was found from the
experiment carried out that cutting tool(sample 5) carburized
at holding temperature and time of 800 oC and 90 minutes has
the lowest cutting weight loss, volume and wear rate of 0.002
g, 0.00026 cm3
and 5.476 X10-10 cm2
with maximum wear
resistance of 1.83X109
. This showed that sample 5 has the
best wear properties which undermined the general believe
that the sample with highest holding temperature and time
should have the highest wear properties. This experiment has
further established carburization as one of the heat treatment
methods that involved carbon penetration to the depth that
improved wear rate and resistance of a material
