There’s no escaping the fact that in one respect, tools for HPT are just like all others. They wear out.
Crater and flank wear develop during the working life of all HPT tools. Knowing how wear arises and the effect it has will nevertheless help maximise the productivity benefits of finish turning case-hardened steel surfaces. Crater wear is normally the dominating wear mode. It gradually affects the insert strength and at the end of tool life also the surface finish. |  | In contrast, flank wear gradually affects the dimensional tolerance of machined parts over a period of time. The tolerance of more than one component is thus at risk if this category of wear is not understood and monitored closely. Crater and flank wear are each affected differently by different cutting data. The cutting data range also differs for different insert grades. |