Carbide cutting tools are a popular choice in the world of precision machining due to their exceptional hardness, durability, and resistance to wear and tear. These tools are made by combining tungsten carbide with a metallic binder, creating a material that is tough enough to handle even the most challenging machining applications.
There are many different uses for carbide cutting tools, with some of the most common being in milling, drilling, turning, and reaming operations. Let’s take a closer look at each of these applications.
Milling
Carbide end mills are the most commonly used tool for milling operations, and for good reason. These cutting tools are able to remove material quickly and efficiently, resulting in a smooth and accurate finish. Carbide end mills can also handle a wide range of materials, including aluminum, steel, and titanium.
Drilling
Carbide drills are essential for creating holes in a variety of materials. These cutting tools are able to withstand high temperatures and speeds, making them ideal for high-speed drilling applications. Carbide drills can be used to create holes in materials such as steel, aluminum, and cast iron.
Turning
Carbide inserts are commonly used in turning operations, which involve rotating the workpiece while the cutting tool removes material from the surface. These inserts are able to withstand high temperatures and speeds, making them ideal for use in high-volume production environments. Carbide inserts can be used to turn materials such as steel, aluminum, and cast iron.
Reaming
Carbide reamers are used to enlarge and finish existing holes. These cutting tools are able to produce a smooth and accurate finish, making them ideal for applications that require tight tolerances. Carbide reamers can be used on a variety of materials, including steel, aluminum, and composites.
In addition to these common applications, carbide cutting tools can also be used for specialty applications such as thread milling, gear cutting, and broaching. Carbide cutting tools offer superior performance and longevity over other cutting tool materials, making them a popular choice for manufacturers in a variety of industries.
Epic Tool
When choosing carbide cutting tools, it’s important to select the right tool for the job. Factors such as material type, cutting speed, and cutting depth must be taken into consideration to ensure the best possible results. At Epic Tool, we work with our customers to select the right carbide cutting tools for their specific applications, ensuring maximum productivity and cost-effectiveness. Contact us today to learn more!
FAQs
There are many different uses for carbide cutting tools, with some of the most common being in milling, drilling, turning, and reaming operations.
What are carbide cutting tools used for? ›
Carbide cutting tools are widely used in the manufacturing industry due to their hardness, durability, and high resistance to wear. Understanding the different types of carbide and their properties can help you choose the right cutting tool for your application.
Why are carbide cutting tools a popular choice for many metal cutting operations? ›
The advantages of using carbide-cutting tools are numerous and significant. From superior hardness and wear resistance to improved cutting speeds, surface finishes, and overall machining efficiency, carbide tools offer a compelling solution for modern manufacturing challenges.
What are carbide tips used for? ›
Industrial jobs typically used carbide drill bits because of their strength. They're made from a mixture of tungsten and carbon, two very strong materials that combine to create a drill bit that can cut through items that would break an HSS drill bit, such as concrete, tile, and others.
What is one disadvantage of using carbide cutting tool? ›
Lack of Toughness
A weakness of carbide drills is their low toughness. Low toughness means that the tool is more likely to break under bending or vibration, requiring proper management of chips which can cause these issues.
What is carbide used for? ›
This is one of the hardest synthetic materials which are a ceramic substance. It is made up of four atoms of boron and one atom of carbon. We use it in tank armour, cutting tools, security padlocks and more. We also use it in nuclear reactors because of the chemical reaction of this compound.
What is a carbide blade good for? ›
Carbide tipped saw blades cut almost everything from asbestos to Zirconium, including paper, plastics, rubber, steel, insulation, aluminum, and even food, as well as every kind of wood in the world and all the wood composites.
When should you use carbide tips? ›
Trekking poles usually feature hard metal or carbide tips, which provide excellent traction on trails, snow and ice. Metal tips can wear down when used on 'improved' surfaces like asphalt or pavement. Metal tips can also leave unwanted scratches on surfaces and damage sensitive soils.
Will carbide tip cut concrete? ›
Carbide drill bits are a great choice, as they're long and thick and will cut through concrete easily. These specialized drill bits will help you tackle concrete with ease. They have several features that make them especially well-suited for working with this material.
What are tungsten carbide tips used mostly on? ›
Tungsten carbide is used extensively in mining in top hammer rock drill bits, downhole hammers, roller-cutters, long wall plough chisels, long wall shearer picks, raiseboring reamers, and tunnel boring machines.
Usually More Effective Than Solid Carbide
Carbide tipped tools are far more durable than solid carbide tools. Under abnormal conditions the carbide may start to crack due to hard spots in the material being machined, incorrect feed rates or inadequate holding of workpiece.
Which is better, HSS or carbide? ›
The strength of carbide makes it an ideal material for tough applications since it is stronger than high-speed steel. There is also no danger of overheating with this product since it is also resistant to high temperatures.
Is carbide stronger than tool steel? ›
Carbide has all but replaced steel tooling in recent years. Carbide is much harder than steel and much more resistant to heat. Although a carbide-tipped tool is more expensive than a comparable tool which has steel cutting edges, carbide is more economical because it lasts much longer.
What is a carbide turning tool used for? ›
Cutting Ability -
Carbide tools, regardless of shape, are still scrapers. They are designed primarily for scraping the wood's surface away, even if they will perform in other functions such as hollowing or shearing.
What is a carbide cutting wheel used for? ›
Carbide cutting wheels are for slicing, cutting and shaping woods and laminates. Ideal for short cuts in wooden floors to make room for e.g. heating pipes or electronics or model making. The carbide coating makes this wheel very durable.
What is the advantage of carbide tipped tools? ›
Carbide tipped tools retain their cutting edge hardness at high machining temperatures generated by high cutting speeds and feeds that reduce machining cycle time. Carbide tipped tools improve surface finish and hold size far longer for better quality.
