Everything You Need To Know About Stellite Machining

What is the process of stellites machining? The answer will depend on the type of material, cost, and speed of the machining process. Listed below are the things you need to keep in mind that are involved in stellite machining. Before you start machining a Stellite part, determine what type of machining tool you need. You’ll also need to choose the right radial engagement and feed rate for your cutting tool. High feed rates create high temperatures, making it hard to precisely machine Stellite parts. The process of machining Stellite will also cause the material to become harder and stronger, but it will deform the working material.

Machining of stellites

Stellites are alloys that display exceptional hardness, toughness, and corrosion resistance. They are also highly resistant to heat, and wear and are generally nonmagnetic. Typically, Stellite parts are cast very accurately, requiring little machining. However, stellites are mostly machined by grinding, which can result in significant tool wear. Their high melting points can also pose a challenge to the machining process. In addition to these disadvantages, Stellites are expensive to purchase and process.

To determine the optimal machining process, 54.7 mm in diameter cylindrical specimens were coated with Stellite 6. This stellite has a roughness value of 0.55 mm. The feeding rates ranged from 0.4 to 1.0 mm/rev., and the cutting depth varied from 0.1 to 0.15 mm. Statistical and mathematical methods were used to generate predictive models of Ra and Rz, and neural networks were used to confirm these conclusions. This study found that thermal spraying the coatings with a high-quality thermal spray produces the best results.

Machining methods

A Stellite machining process effectively achieves high dimensional accuracy and surface smoothness in many applications. The material is hard and wear-resistant and made up of cobalt, nickel, and chromium alloy. The cutting parameters for this material are 0.5 axial depth of cut and 40 mm/min. 

Cost

Stellite machining requires specific machining techniques to produce high-quality products. They are difficult to machine with high feed rates and cutting forces, resulting in high temperatures. In addition, the work-hardening process can make Stellites harder for the machine. It also deforms the working material. However, Stellite machining can increase the life of your products. 

Tool wear is influenced by many factors, including feed rate, cutting parameters, and residual stresses. For instance, if you are milling a Stellite 6 alloy, low-speed abrasion and a high feed rate may cause tool wear and tear. However, this wear is minimized when the feed rate is low, and the cutting parameters are optimized. The main factors that affect tool wear include abrasion, coating peeling, chipping, and breakage.

Machining speed

When milling a Stellite 6 alloy, it is important to maintain a consistent machining speed for smooth surfaces. However, if the machining speed is too high, the Stellite layer can show excessive tool wear, resulting in flank, radial, and chipping defects. The tests revealed that 0.9-mm-high machining speeds could result in severe defects. 

Stellite alloys vary in composition, with the most common being Stellite 6. The higher carbon alloys are generally used in abrasion and severe galling applications, while the lower carbon alloys are used for sliding wear and cavitation. The machining speed for Stellite alloys depends on the cooling rate since increased carbides reduce ductility. Therefore, it is important to use the machining speed specified by the manufacturer in the specifications.

Nickolas Hunter

Nickolas Hunter

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