Tool-Life Distributions—Part 2: Multiple-Injury Tool-Life Model

Abstract

The single-injury tool-life model developed in Part 1 of this paper is extended to the case of tool failure due to a multitude of injuries. The expected tool-life distribution in the case of tool failure from multiple injuries due to constant, time-independent stochastic hazards is shown to be a gamma distribution. The result obtained is based on a linear wear-rate assumption. The model is further extended to ensure applicability in the nonlinear wear region. It is shown that the expectation of a log-normal tool-life distribution when tool failure is due to crater wear is not unrealistic. No specific mechanism of tool wear is used to develop the model. The nature of the hazards and the wear mechanisms that are consistent with the multiple-injury tool-life model will be discussed in a subsequent work.