If you operate a machine shop, then you know just how much wear and tear end mills experience. CNC machining is an incredible advancement in the field of manufacturing, but the milling cutters used in these milling machines are still subject to the heat caused by machining. If you want to keep your machines operating efficiently, then you need to be using carbide cutting tools.
Solid carbide is a specialized high speed tool making material. Unlike steel tools, which are made with specific alloys, carbide cutting tools are made with a composite material. By itself tungsten carbide is a ceramic material that cannot be used to make tools on its own. Despite the fact that it normally exists as a powder, carbide is a pretty amazing material because it is twice as strong and twice as rigid as steel. By mixing powdered carbide with a binding metal, you can create tool carbide.
Carbide tool stock gains positive properties from both materials when this powdered ceramic material is combined with a binding metal. The material’s metal component provides strength and flexibility, while the ceramic component provides rigidity and powerful edge retention. Carbide cannot lose its temper because it is a ceramic. This means it is ideal for high-speed, high-temperature operations where purely metallic tools would soften and lose their sharp cutting edges.
Carbide cutting tools can be used in a variety of milling applications. Because they can withstand the heat generated by friction, these tools can be used at a variety of speeds and feeds. Depending on the design of the cutter, carbide tools can be used for side milling, drilling, thread cutting, or other applications such as aluminum milling.
Despite the fact that carbide tools are stronger than cutters made of materials such as high speed steel alloys, they still wear out over time. Manufacturers will frequently treat tools with specialized coatings to protect them. These treatments are performed using advanced techniques like physical vapor deposition to create incredibly strong coatings.
When it comes to carbide tools, TiAlN is one of the most common coatings available. Titanium aluminum nitride (TiAlN) coatings are widely used because they are extremely hard and help insulate end mills during use. TiAlN actually forms a fine layer of aluminum oxide on the surface of the cutter, which helps to deflect heat away from the tool’s body, allowing heat to be lost with the chips rather than building up on the cutting edges. These tools will still get hot while in use, but they will last much longer than untreated tools.
If you’re looking for high-quality carbide cutting tools, it’s worth looking into tools made in the United States. Not only are these tools manufactured to exact tolerances with high-quality materials, but working with manufacturers in your own country provides you with easy access to customer service teams during business hours. Online Carbide is a fantastic tool manufacturer that produces high-quality cutting tools that they sell to users at manufacturer-direct prices. If you want amazing tools at great prices, go to www.onlinecarbide.com.
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