Analysis of wear mechanism and sawing performance of carbide and PCD circular saw blades in machining hard aluminum alloy

High-efficiency sawing is widely applied in primary and secondary machining sectors, but it faces limitations due to saw tooth life and manufacturing constraints. This research investigates the wear mechanism, wear characteristics, and sawing performance of carbide and polycrystalline diamond (PCD) saw teeth when machining hard aluminum alloy. The results show that the sawing forces with PCD saw teeth are less than those of carbide teeth, yielding better surface quality and longer tool life. The wear mechanisms of saw teeth of two materials with different tooth types are classified and characterized finely. Carbide teeth are subject mainly to abrasion and adhesion at the cutting edges, while adhesion, corrosion, and diffusion primarily contribute to flank face wear. PCD teeth mainly suffer from abrasion and micro-chipping on the cutting edges and faces. A comprehensive description of the wear evolution of carbide and PCD teeth is presented, with the cutting heat being the primary cause of carbide tooth wear and the presence of hard particles in the workpiece causing PCD tooth wear by SEM and EDS analysis. The friction coefficient of the PCD teeth is considerably lower than that of the carbide teeth by sliding friction and wear tests, which also proves its more superior thermal stability and wear resistance during wear evolution analysis. Systematic research analyzes and discusses the wear mechanism and wear characteristics of saw teeth in high-speed sawing process, which can further enhance the understanding of the saw tooth wear to provide theoretical guidance for saw tooth design and manufacturing.