Wear characteristics and mechanisms of a thin edge cutting blade

This paper reports the wear characteristics and mechanisms of a thin edge cutting blade in a grass cutting operation. The study was made from two groups of AISI 1090 high carbon steel cutting blades with different heat treatment to obtain martensitic and bainitic microstructures. The cutting operations were carried out on a simulating ensilage cutting machine, with the wear rate of the thin edge cutting blade being measured at various periods of cutting. The cutting blade specimens were examined by scanning electron microscope and changes of surface conditions were recorded. The wear characteristics and mechanisms of the thin edge cutting tool is different from those of general mechanical parts and metallic cutting tools. There are only two stages of wear, namely, rapid wear and steady wear.