Short Title: Int. J. Mech. Eng. Robot. Res.
Frequency: Bimonthly
Professor of School of Engineering, Design and Built Environment, Western Sydney University, Australia. His research interests cover Industry 4.0, Additive Manufacturing, Advanced Engineering Materials and Structures (Metals and Composites), Multi-scale Modelling of Materials and Structures, Metal Forming and Metal Surface Treatment.
2025-02-28
2025-01-20
2025-01-09
Manuscript received September 18, 2024; revised November 11, 2024; accepted December 17, 2024; published March 20, 2025
Abstract—Cemented Carbide (WC-Co) is widely used in the mining and metal-forming industries due to its exceptional hardness, wear resistance, and toughness. Cemented carbide is often combined with carbon steel to create tools such as drill bits and lathe chisels to optimize production costs. However, the joining process between these materials presents significant challenges, primarily related to brittleness and cracking. This study explores the use of Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) and Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welding to join cemented carbide with carbon steel. Microstructural analysis using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) revealed the formation of a new layer at the interface, enriched with C, O, Fe, and W elements. Mechanical testing, including shear strength and microhardness assessments, demonstrated that both welding methods increased the hardness of the steel and cemented carbide at the filler metal interface. The difference in hardness values between the filler metal for TIG and MIG welding was 37.14%, with TIG welding yielding the highest hardness. In terms of shear strength, MIG welding exhibited superior performance, achieving a maximum value of 387.4 MPa. Fracture patterns observed in both welding methods predominantly occurred within the cemented carbide/WC-Co material. These findings provide insights into the mechanical behavior and microstructural characteristics of welded joints between cemented carbide and steel, contributing to the development of more reliable and durable industrial tools. Keywords—Cemented Carbide (WC-Co), Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG), Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welding, microstructural, Shear strength, hardness, steel-carbide joint Cite: Frendy Edo Herlanto and Agus Dwi Anggono, "Microstructural Characterization and Mechanical Performance of Cemented Carbide Steel Joints in Mining Tools Using TIG and MIG Welding Techniques," International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics Research, Vol. 14, No. 2, pp. 145-152, 2025. doi: 10.18178/ijmerr.14.2.145-152Copyright © 2025 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).
