Wear Resistance
Used tools are always in contact with the working material, and because of this we fing friction between both parts. This friction is especially high in the case of cutting tools and cold shaping dies.
For these reasons, wear resistance is the main property required in these tools.
Wear resistance depends on the microstructure and hardness of the part that is exposed to wear. Incorporating non dissolved carbides in a matrix which is already hardened by heat treatment (tempering and annealing), we may substantially increase this resistance, especially if these are carbides of certain alloy elements, which are harder than the simple iron carbide. Such elements are: V, W, Mo and Cr.
Besides the amount and nature of these carbides, it is of great influence their morphology, size and distribution throughout the matrix.
To further improve wear resistance, in certain cases we may nitrurate or carburise the surface of the tool.
