Sparkplug Challenge
Aligning, fixating, and cutting an elongated component, including different materials, are a challenge. This requires a precise cutting setup using well-chosen equipment and a cutoff wheel in order to end up with the desired sample in two halves, with a minimum of mechanical damage.
Solution:
A reproducible method for cutting a sparkplug was developed, consisting of:
- Clamping and positioning the sparkplug using a vertical clamping tool and a dedicated vise.
- Precision cutting with Secotom-50 to section the component exactly in the middle.
- A metal bonded diamond cutoff wheel with 0.6 mm thickness was used to achieve a minimum of mechanical damage and a very precise cut.
- A rotational speed of 2,200 rpm and a feed speed of 0.04 mm/s were used. A direct cut in the 85 mm length of the sparkplug was used, starting from the connector end towards the electrode end.
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Automotive spark plug preparation insight | Struers.com
Our automotive industry specialists demonstrate how to cut and prepare elongated multi-material components quickly and efficiently for materialographic analysis.