Advanced Heat Treatment Processing and Surface Engineering of Forming Tools

Project is being solved by international consortium: Czech Republic (Ško-Tools; COMTES FHT; Konstrukční oceli a.s.) and Poland (Institute of Precision Mechanics, Warsaw).

The goal of this project is to achieve a considerable increase in die life in specific forming technologies, both through the suitable selection of materials and processing, and through optimization of die design and technological forming parameters. The selection of tool materials includes testing of selected modern materials and technologies and comparison of these with conventional ones. Surface processing and advanced lubricants will be tested and suitable tribological systems and wear-resistant tool surfaces will be achieved. In addition, the forming process parameters will be optimised.

Selected Materials: X38CrMoV5-1, 55NiCrMoV6, Swedish Uddeholm HOTVAR, Uddeholm QRO 90 Supreme, Uddeholm VANADIS 6 grades of steel;

Applied Technologies: Carburizing; Nitrocarburizing; Nitriding; Cryogenic treatment; Combination of cryogenic treatment and nitriding; Duplex (Nitriding + PVD Coating); Thermal spray coating; Shot peening;

Tests and Examinations: Roughness of the surface, Surface hardness, Cross section hardness profiles, Cohesion of surface layer with material (scratch test method), Identation/Martens/Vickers hardness and Young's module (DSI method), Tensile, bend & impact tests, Microstructure (analysed with light, scanning and transmission microscopy), Resistance to wear in high temperatures, Dilatometric tests and DTA analyses;

Examination of Dies Under Production Conditions: Solutions developed within the project will be tested in the mass production in forging shops and other production companies.

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