Several significant advances have been made in cutting tool technology since the 1900s. From the plain carbon tool steel to coated carbide cutting tool solutions and a market size of about $90 billion, it?s easy to see why the cutting tool industry is now recognized as one of the major manufacturing industries in the U.S. Let?s discover just how far cutting tool technology has come by exploring what makes carbide tools so much more superior than carbon tool steel.
At first, cutting tool manufacturers wanted to make an inexpensive cutting tool that could be used in any type of low-machining operation. What they came up with was the plain carbon tool steel, which is comprised of 0.6-1.5% carbon and a small amount of Mn, Si. The only thing was that this combination was unable to withstand temperatures higher than 250C, resulting in a rapid decrease in hardness. This made the cutting tool inefficient after a certain amount of uses, so the cutting tool industry had to come up with a better solution.
That?s where carbide tools came into the picture. In the 1900s, cutting tool manufacturers discovered three main grades — tungsten, molybdenum and molybdenum-cobalt — that contained more than 30 types of high-speed steel. Each of these could cut four times faster than the plain carbon cutting tools. The cutting tool industry had found the answer they were looking for!
So, what makes carbide the best option for all high-speed steels? We?ve compiled a list of the top three reasons this material is the best in the industry:
- They Can Withstand High Speeds: Cement carbide cutting tools are made specially to withstand high speeds. Unlike the plain carbon cutting tool that can?t maintain temperatures higher than 250C, the carbide cutting tool is exceedingly strong and can maintain its hardness in temperatures up to 1000C.
- They Have A Longer Lifespan: You won?t have to worry about wear and tear with carbide cutting tool technology, since about two-thirds of these engineer tools are coated to add strength to their cutting edge. This enables them to have a longer lifespan than your average carbon cutting tool and will offer a faster machining capability.
- They Are Cost-Effective: The reason the latest products in the cutting tool industry are so popular is the fact that they are only two-thirds coated. This helps to save money in production while providing the durability and wear-and-tear resistance that consumers and companies look for.
If you normally work with carbide cutting tool technology, share your experience in the comments below!