Applied research of applicability of high-strength steel for a track of a demining machine in term of its tribological properties

Abstract

Even today, there are countries that are affected by war and its pitfalls. The authors have decided to present a part of the accompanying research results in this article. This research precedes the design of a demining machine Božena 5. The main goal of the authors’ activities was to design optimal material and geometry for a track of this machine. To achieve this goal, the authors conducted research to evaluate the microstructure of the material S960QL and its tribological lifetime. As the track of the demining machine is a welded component, the authors also investigated the influence of different welding technologies on the given parameters. The tribological research was performed on an original test device. The obtained results show that welding joints have the typical microstructure of martensitic high-strength steels and that mechanical properties can be influenced by individual welding technologies. Meanwhile, the use of the electron beam significantly extends the adhesive-abrasive lifespan compared with the MAG (metal active gas) conventional method as well as to the base material. It is interesting that the absolute value of material loss over time reached the identity for both the laser beam and the electron beam. The obtained data provide changes to apply the proposed material for the production of the solved component.