A comprehensive review of the correlation between thermoelectricity and tool wear in metal processing, current research, and perspectives

Nowadays, metal components made of steel, magnesium or aluminum can be found in almost all technical products. The large number of components required makes the use of mass production methods, such as turning and milling, or also cold forming and blanking, indispensable. However, regardless of the manufacturing process, the extent of tool wear primarily determines the profitability of the process due to its influence on process stability, part quality and tool life. To optimize these aspects, a deep understanding of the wear-causing interactions as well as the respective influencing factors is of crucial importance. A decisive factor in this context is thermoelectricity, which occurs in almost every type of metal processing. Various studies have investigated this topic so far, often with astonishing results. At first, this report summarizes the most important literature and then discusses current research and how the findings can be put into practice to reduce wear. Finally, a first heuristic model is presented, which forms a basis for a future estimation of the influence of thermoelectricity on tool wear.