SURFACE MODIFICATION OF SPRING TINE CULTIVATOR POINTS WITH DIFFERENT METAL POWDERS BY GTAW METHOD

Abstract

The abrasive wear resistance of soil tillage tools is important for the agricultural equipment industry. This is because abrasive wear caused by hard particles in the soil shortens the life of these parts. In the present research, surface modification with FeCrC, FeTi and Ni powders has been carried out to improve the hardness and wear resistance of AISI 1040 material reversible spring tine cultivator point. Due to its simplicity and efficiency, GTAW (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding) method has been chosen for the energy input to be supplied externally for the surface modification process. Microstructure studies have been performed with an optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Additionally, microhardness measurements and wear tests have been carried out. It has been observed that the hardness values for all three coating types are higher than the hardness value of the matrix material and the highest hardness value is in the specimen obtained with a mixture of (wt. %) 70FeCrC + 30FeTi powders with a hardness value of 726.1 HV_0,2. As a result of the increase of hardness obtained in the coating layer of the specimens, wear resistance has also increased. Abrasive wear tests have been carried out under loads of 5 N, 10 N and 15 N at distances of 400 m, 800 m and 1200 m respectively. The wear loss of the substrate material was up to 13 times higher than the coating obtained with the mixture of (wt. %) 70FeCrC + 30FeTi powders. After laboratory tests, cultivator points have been coated and field tests have been carried out.