Cutting Tool Materials

Questions p.333
1. List the properties of the ideal cutting tool material.
2. What is the main advantage of carbon steel cutting tools ?
3. Explain the term red hardness .
4. What makes up high speed steel ?
5. What are tungsten carbides ?
6. Explain how tungsten carbides are produced .
7. List the advantages of tungsten carbides as cutting tools.
8. How are they graded ?
9. List 4 uses for tungsten carbides.
10. Give the uses and properties for the following cutting tool
materials (i) cast alloys
(ii) ceramics
(iii) cubic boron nitride
(iv) diamond .
Cutting tool materials
Selection of cutting tool materials is very
important
What properties should cutting tools have
Hardness at elevated temperatures
Toughness so that impact forces on the tool
can be taken
Wear resistance
Chemical stability
Cutting Tool Construction

Types of tool materials
o Carbon steel
o High speed steel (HSS)
o Cemented Carbides
o Cast alloys
o Ceramics
o Cubic boron nitride (CBN)
o Diamond
Carbon Steel
Oldest of tool materials
Used for drills taps,broaches ,reamers
Inexpensive ,easily shaped ,sharpened
No sufficient hardness and wear
resistance
Limited to low cutting speed
operation

Temperature effects
High speed steel
Retains its hardness at high
temperature
Red hardness.
Relatively good wear resistance
Tungsten Carbide
Composite material consisting of tungsten-carbide particles
bonded together

Alternate name is cemented carbides

Manufactured with powder metallurgy techniques p335 Fig. 2

Small particles are pressed & sintered to desired shape

Amount of cobalt present affects properties of carbide tools

As cobalt content increases the tougher the tool
Making tungsten carbides
Step 1
Tungsten & carbon mixed then heated to give tungsten carbide
Step 2
Mix tungsten
carbide powder
with binder
Usually cobolt
Step 3
Pressing to shape
Step 4
Sintered
Cast alloys
Commonly known as stellite tools
Composition ranges 38% - 53 % cobalt
30%- 33% chromium
10%-20%tungsten
Good wear resistance ( higher hardness)
Less tough than high-speed steels and sensitive to impact forces
Less suitable than high-speed steels for interrupted cutting
operations
Continuous roughing cuts relatively high g=feeds & speeds
Finishing cuts are at lower feed and depth of cut
Inserts
Inserts
Individual cutting tool with severed cutting points
Clamped on tool shanks with locking mechanisms
Inserts also brazed to the tools
Clamping is preferred method for securing an insert
Carbide Inserts available in various shapes-Square,
Triangle, Diamond and round
Strength depends on the shape
Inserts honed, chamfered or produced with negative
land to improve edge strength
Insert Attachment
Fig : Methods of
attaching inserts
to toolholders :
(a) Clamping and
(b) Wing
lockpins. (c)
Examples of
inserts attached
to toolholders
with threadless
lockpins, which
are secured with
side screws.
Ceramics
Used as grinding wheels.

as cutting tool inserts. These are used in a similar
way to cemented carbide inserts.

they can withstand extremely high machining
temperatures.

They also have a high resistance to abrasion.


Ceramics
Ceramic cutting tools can he used to
machine difficult materials at really high
cutting speeds sometimes over 2000
m/min. Compare this with the cutting
speed for carbon steel cutting tools 6
m/min.
Ceramic cutting tools are very brittle.
They can be used only on machines which
are extremely rigid and free of vibration.
Cubic boron Nitride ( CBN ) :
Made by bonding ( 0.5-1.0 mm ( 0.02-0.04-in)
Layer of poly crystalline cubic boron nitride to a carbide substrate
by sintering under pressure
While carbide provides shock resistance CBN layer provides high
resistance and cutting edge strength
Cubic boron nitride tools are made in small sizes without substrate

Fig : (a) Construction of a polycrystalline cubic boron nitride or a diamond layer on a tungsten-carbide insert.
(b) Inserts with polycrystalline cubic boron nitride tips (top row) and solid polycrystalline CBN inserts
(bottom row).
Diamond :
Hardest known substance
Low friction, high wear resistance
Ability to maintain sharp cutting edge
Single crystal diamond of various carats used
for special applications
Machining copperfront precision optical
mirrors for ( SDI)
Diamond is brittle , tool shape & sharpened is
important
Low rake angle used for string cutting edge