Failure characteristics of diamond-coated carbides in machining wood-based composites

This paper describes results from recent research projects aimed at understanding the failure mechanisms of diamond-coated carbides in machining fiberboard and particleboard. The objective of these projects is to bring about considerable improvements in tool life during the machining of wood and wood-based products through the application of hard coatings to the cutting edge. Machining experiments were conducted on a planer using both uncoated and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diamond-coated tools. Experimental results are presented and the effect of cutting edge geometry on the wear resistance of diamond-coated carbide is discussed. The works conducted to date indicate that CVD diamond coating may impart significant improvements in wear resistance, providing that proper preparation of the substrate and proper selections of tool geometry and cutting conditions are made.