Surface finishing of SKD 11 tool steel via plasma-based electron beam irradiation

In fabrication of precision parts and metal molds, hand polishing is generally used as the final process. However, it requires heavy handwork and expert techniques, so this surface finishing process is regarded as a bottleneck in the total manufacturing system. Large current high enthalpy plasma electron beams are proposed in this paper to smooth SKD11 work material surfaces. In this technology, high-density plasma electron beam with current density as high as 15J/cm² is irradiated onto the workpiece surface of an area with an effective diameter of 60 mm, so that good quality surface can be obtained with high efficiency. Moreover, the mechanical properties and micro-structure of machined surface have also been observed to investigate the machining performance of the EBM process.