The Materials For CNC Cutting Tools
1.High-Speed Steel (HSS)
Features: Tough, good for interrupted cuts, easy to sharpen.
Applications: Drills, taps, reamers, end mills for softer materials (aluminum, mild steel).
Limitations: Loses hardness at high temperatures, not suitable for high-speed cutting of hard materials.
2.Carbide (Tungsten Carbide)
Features: Very hard, excellent wear resistance, withstands high cutting speeds, often coated (TiN, TiAlN, etc.).
Applications: Milling, turning, drilling of steel, stainless steel, cast iron, and non-ferrous metals.
Limitations: More brittle than HSS, can chip under shock loads.
4.Cermet (Ceramic + Metal composites)
Features: Combines toughness of metal with hardness of ceramics, good surface finish, wear resistance.
Applications: Finishing and semi-finishing operations, especially steels.
Limitations: Brittle compared to carbide.
5.Cubic Boron Nitride (CBN)
Features: Second hardest material after diamond, excellent for hardened steels, wear-resistant.
Applications: High-speed finishing of hardened steel, cast iron.
Limitations: Very expensive, brittle.
6. Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD)
Features: Extremely hard, excellent for non-ferrous metals and abrasive materials.
Applications: Aluminum, copper, composites, plastics, wood.
Limitations: Not suitable for ferrous metals (diamond reacts with iron at high temperatures).
Summary:
General machining → HSS, Carbide
Hard steel, cast iron → Cermet, CBN
Aluminum & non-ferrous → PCD
The Materials For CNC Cutting Tools
1.High-Speed Steel (HSS)
Features: Tough, good for interrupted cuts, easy to sharpen.
Applications: Drills, taps, reamers, end mills for softer materials (aluminum, mild steel).
Limitations: Loses hardness at high temperatures, not suitable for high-speed cutting of hard materials.
2.Carbide (Tungsten Carbide)
Features: Very hard, excellent wear resistance, withstands high cutting speeds, often coated (TiN, TiAlN, etc.).
Applications: Milling, turning, drilling of steel, stainless steel, cast iron, and non-ferrous metals.
Limitations: More brittle than HSS, can chip under shock loads.
4.Cermet (Ceramic + Metal composites)
Features: Combines toughness of metal with hardness of ceramics, good surface finish, wear resistance.
Applications: Finishing and semi-finishing operations, especially steels.
Limitations: Brittle compared to carbide.
5.Cubic Boron Nitride (CBN)
Features: Second hardest material after diamond, excellent for hardened steels, wear-resistant.
Applications: High-speed finishing of hardened steel, cast iron.
Limitations: Very expensive, brittle.
6. Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD)
Features: Extremely hard, excellent for non-ferrous metals and abrasive materials.
Applications: Aluminum, copper, composites, plastics, wood.
Limitations: Not suitable for ferrous metals (diamond reacts with iron at high temperatures).
Summary:
General machining → HSS, Carbide
Hard steel, cast iron → Cermet, CBN
Aluminum & non-ferrous → PCD
