In mold processing, the production and discharge processing of copper males are very important. The quality of copper work and the difference in processing technology directly affect the external effect of the product. But in addition to discharge processing. In fact, there is a more direct processing method, that is, to use エンドミル to process to achieve a more perfect processing effect.
What is Copper Male
Copper male is also called electrode in the mainland. Because most electrodes are processed with red copper, red copper has good conductivity and easy processing. During EDM, the heat generated by the electrode itself is small, and the loss is relatively low. Therefore, in coastal areas, the electrode for EDM is called copper male. It means to use copper to “discharge” the workpiece (mold base). According to the needs of processing, it is also divided into rough male and fine male, also called fine male.
And by using end mills to process copper male molds, the key lies in the coating of the エンドミル. What kind of coating is more suitable for processing copper male? Of course, it is DLC coated end mills.
DLC Coating
DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) coating has very high hardness, close to natural diamond. Its hardness depends on factors such as the preparation method, composition and structure of the coating.
Generally speaking, the hardness of DLC coating can reach 1000-5000 HV (Vickers hardness), or even higher. This high hardness makes DLC coating have excellent wear resistance and scratch resistance, which can extend the service life of the substrate.
The hardness of DLC coating mainly comes from the arrangement and bonding of its carbon elements. In DLC coating, carbon atoms exist in the form of sp3 and sp2 hybrid bonds. The sp3 hybrid bond forms a three-dimensional network structure similar to diamond, which gives the DLC coating high hardness and wear resistance. The sp2 hybrid bond forms a planar structure similar to graphite, which gives the DLC coating a certain elasticity and toughness.
DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) coating is a thin film coating composed of carbon material similar to diamond. It has the following characteristics:
- High hardness: DLC coating has very high hardness, close to natural diamond. This enables it to provide excellent wear and scratch resistance and extend the service life of the substrate.
- Low friction coefficient: DLC coating has a very low friction coefficient, which can effectively reduce friction and wear. This makes it widely used in various mechanical equipment and tools, improving work efficiency and reducing energy consumption.
- Good corrosion resistance: DLC coating has good corrosion resistance and can effectively resist the erosion of corrosive media such as acids, alkalis, and salts.
This makes it widely used in some applications that require corrosion resistance.
- Carbon: DLC coating is mainly composed of carbon elements, usually based on pure carbon or carbon with a small amount of impurities. These carbon atoms exist in different chemical bond forms, including sp3 and sp2 hybrid bonds.
- Hydrogen: Hydrogen is one of the common impurity elements in DLC coatings. It can be introduced during the preparation process or exist as an impurity in the atmosphere. The presence of hydrogen can affect the hardness, friction coefficient and wear resistance of DLC coatings.
- Impurity Elements: DLC coatings may contain small amounts of other elements such as nitrogen, oxygen, silicon, etc. These impurity elements can be introduced by controlling the preparation conditions and adding appropriate precursors to change the performance and characteristics of the coating.
DLC Coated End Mill Processing Copper Case
Using SHDLS2-005040 and SHDLSR2-005005040 end mills, both were processed for more than 6 hours. By observing under a 50x microscope, the tool edge was slightly worn and could still be used.
