On Wedge Indentation and Its Relationship With Incipient Plastic Deformation in Metal Cutting

This paper deals with plane strain indentation of annealed brass by both symmetric and half wedges, and the connection between wedge indentation and incipient chip formation by a positive rake angle tool. Indentation forces and wedge-plate contact lengths were measured, and plastic deformation underneath the indenters was studied by microhardness scanning and discussed. Half-wedge indentations at decreasing distances from the plate corner were shown to result in a transition from wedge indentation to chip formation.