A Guide to Select The Right Carbide Inserts
Carbide inserts are the real cutting-edge instruments for the industrial machinery setup. Let’s look at the carbide insert manufacturing process to better understand its types for selecting the right ones for your needs.
The right carbide insert for specific machining operations helps you stay ahead of the competition among cutting tool manufacturers. Therefore, it’s important to choose the right solid cbn inserts manufacturers and get quality inserts for your operations.
How are carbide inserts made?
Carbide inserts, mainly tungsten and cobalt, are supplied in powder form. The dry feed is then mixed with a mixture of ethanol and water. The result is a gray slurry with the consistency of a yogurt drink. This mixture is dried and then sent to a laboratory for quality testing. This powder is made up of agglomerates, small balls with a diameter of 20 to 200 microns, and are then transported to press machines where inserts are made.
Insert geometry
Carbide inserts geometries can be divided into three basic styles optimized for multiple operations including roughing, finishing, and medium. Here is some explanation of the working area of each geometry based on geometric chip control and depth of cut.
- Roughing
Roughing involves a combination of a large depth of cut and feed rate. This process requires maximum edge security.
- Finishing
Finishing includes watery depth of cut and low feed rates. This process requires low cutting forces.
- General processing
This operation includes a wide range of combinations of deep cuts and feed rates.
Carbide Inserts with Corner Radius
The corner radius RE is a critical factor when working with carbide inserts. Carbide inserts are available in different corner radii. The choice depends on the depth of cut and feed and affects the surface quality, chip control, and insert strength.
Entry angle for carbide inserts
Lead angle KAPR (or lead angle PISR) is the angle between the cutting edge and the feed direction. For successful turning, it is important to select the correct entry/rise angle. The approach / lead angle affects:
- Chip formation
- Direction of cutting forces
- Sectional cutting edge length
The Role of Geometry in Insert Manufacturing
When discussing the role of geometry, people generally consider the macro-geometry and the physical shape of the carbides. Equally important here is microgeometry, which concerns the cutting edge of a microscopic shape.
The geometry of the insert is an important aspect as it affects the shape of the chip breaking. Various shapes and angles provide optimum chip-breaking results depending on the material and application.
With the help of advanced technologies, the cutting surface of the insert is given a round, oval, or any other geometric shape. Significant benefits in insert life and stability have been seen with the advent of new technologies. It is safe to say that future technological progress will stimulate further development in this area, and even more, significant achievements will be made.
Types of carbide inserts
Depending on the shape and material, several different types of carbide inserts are used for various purposes. These inserts are interchangeable attachments for cutting tools that usually consist of the cutting edge itself.
Inserts have different geometric shapes. For example:
Round plates
Round carbide inserts are used in grooving and milling machines.
Triangular or triangular inserts
Triangle or Trigon carbide inserts have a triangular shape with three equal sides and three 60-degree corners. These are trihedral inserts resembling a triangle but with altered shapes, such as curved sides or mid-angles that include steps at the ends.
Quadrilateral carbide inserts
Four-sided inserts are diamond-shaped, rhombic, square, and rectangular. The diamond-shaped inserts are four-sided with two sharp corners for material removal.
Carbide inserts of square shape have four equal sides. On the other hand, rectangular plates have four sides. Two sides are longer than the other two. These types of carbide inserts are used for grooving where the short sides of the inserts have a real cutting edge.
Conclusion
Selecting the right carbide insert is not an easy task, but when all the parameters mentioned are considered, the process can be simple and convenient. Always choose the right carbide inserts for your application, whether milling, tapping, or any other operation.
