Mass and Volumetric Abrasive Wear Measurements of the Mining Conical Picks

The wearing of cutting tools is a bottleneck of many branches in the industry. However, the tools used in the mining sector are extraordinarily prone to rapid deterioration since many rocks exhibit aggressive abrasive properties. A typical example of a fast wearing cutting tool is a conical pick. It is used in the mining industry and other businesses requiring rock cutting, such as in roadworks and tunnelling. Both manufacturers and users attempt to find a way to enhance the lifespan of the working surface of conical picks via different approaches, namely heat treatment, chemical treatment, work hardening, and hardfacing, etc. To correctly estimate the resistance to abrasive wear for a particular conical pick, one must select appropriate procedures and methods. By this time, the most common estimation method is to measure the mass loss before and after cutting, preserving the specified and constant conditions. This method was developed for users (mines) and manufacturers of cutting tools, especially conical picks. Alternative methods of assessing the picks’ wear are also sought. In this paper, the authors perform additional volumetric loss measurements via a photogrammetric approach, which results in a 3D scan of brand-new and exploited conical pick. Three different sets of four picks were measured both in the domain of mass loss and volume loss, and the results were compared. Slight differences in parameters C2 and C3 were found. Additionally, the authors enclose recommendations regarding the proper use of the methods mentioned above, mainly focusing on the ability to perform linear and angular measurements of the tool performed on the 3D scan.