The Influence Mechanism of the Hardness Homogeneity of the Grind-Hardening Layer on Its Wear Resistance

Due to the random factors that influence grinding stability, hardness distribution appears in inhomogeneity at different locations on the hardened layer in grind-hardening technology. It may affect the wear resistance of parts. Therefore, in order to explore the influence mechanism of hardness homogeneity on the wear resistance comprehensively, grind-hardening and friction experiments on AISI 1045 steel are carried out. Then, the causes of inhomogeneous hardness distribution are analyzed, and the influence of hardness homogeneity on wear resistance is also discussed. Combining the Archard wear model, the wear process of the hardened layer is simulated for analyzing the effect of contact stress distribution and action range on material loss in the worn area and finally realizing the prediction of the wear depth. The results show that the difference in microstructure distribution caused by the nonlinear variation in grinding force is the fundamental reason for the hardness inhomogeneity of the hardened layer. The hardness homogeneity results in the wear resistance of the cut-out end being superior to that of cut-in end. Additionally, the error between the predictive and the experimental value of the wear depth with different parameters is between 3.6% and 11.3%, thereby verifying the effectiveness of the theoretical research.