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This study presents the results of a comprehensive evaluation of selected methods for enhancing the tribological wear resistance of forming tools made from wear-resistant steels, used in the extrusion of ceramic roof tiles. The research addressed both the selection of tool materials and surface engineering techniques. Microscopic analyses (XRD combined with SEM-EDS) granulometry, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were performed on the plastic mass, composed mainly of clay and sand. Comparative wear tests were conducted using a laboratory-scale “rotating bowl” method, where the ceramic mass served as the abrasive medium. Four material variants were selected for testing: Hardox 600, hardened NC11LV, nitrided NC11LV, and C45 with a hardfaced EuTroLoy 16006A layer.Microstructural analysis of the plastic mass allowed identification of hard fractions responsible for accelerated tool wear. Results of the rotating bowl test showed that the C45 hardfaced sample exhibited the highest wear resistance, based on 3D-scanned geometric material loss perpendicular to the surface. For final verification, forming tools made from all analyzed materials were tested under industrial production conditions. Each tool operated for 170 hours and was then analyzed for material loss using 3D scanning. The results indicate that under operational conditions, the tool made from NC11LV with an additional nitrided layer exhibited the best performance, with critical areas showing material loss below 0.50 mm. The outcomes of this comprehensive study enable a more informed selection of materials and surface treatment technologies, contributing to the optimization of operational parameters of forming tools and improving their durability in ceramic tile production.
Keywords: forming tools, abrasive wear resistance, surface engineering techniques© 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.