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How to choose cutting tool materials in metal cutting
Category：answer Publishing time：2025-12-17 11:22:42 Browse： Times
In the process of metal cutting and machining, the selection of cutting tool materials is a key factor affecting processing efficiency, workpiece quality, and tool life. Suitable cutting tool materials can not only improve production efficiency but also significantly reduce processing costs. Therefore, scientifically and reasonably selecting cutting tool materials is of great significance to modern manufacturing industries.
I. Basic Performance Requirements of Cutting Tool Materials
When selecting cutting tool materials, it is usually necessary to consider several key properties:
1. Hardness and Wear Resistance: The cutting tool material must have sufficient hardness to resist the friction of the workpiece material and maintain a sharp edge.
2. Thermal Resistance (Red Hardness): A large amount of heat is generated during the cutting process, and the cutting tool material should maintain hardness and strength at high temperatures.
3. Strength and Toughness: The cutting tool needs to withstand the impact force during the cutting process, so the material should have good bending strength and toughness.
4. Chemical Stability: The cutting tool material should not easily react with the workpiece material to prevent diffusion wear and adhesion wear.
Two, Common Cutting Tool Materials and Their Applications
1. High-Speed Steel (HSS)
High-speed steel is a traditional cutting tool material with good toughness, grindability, and low cost. It is suitable for medium and low-speed cutting operations such as drill bits, taps, and milling cutters. However, its hardness decreases rapidly at high temperatures and is not suitable for high-speed cutting.
2. Hard Alloy
Hard alloy is composed of tungsten carbide (WC) particles and cobalt (Co) binder, with high hardness, good wear resistance, and excellent thermal stability. It is widely used in high-speed cutting operations such as turning, milling, and drilling, especially suitable for processing materials such as cast iron, carbon steel, and stainless steel.
3. Ceramic Materials
Ceramic cutting tools such as aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), silicon nitride (Si₃N₄), etc., have extremely high hardness and thermal resistance, suitable for high-speed cutting of difficult-to-machine materials such as quenched steel. However, they are brittle and not suitable for intermittent cutting or situations with significant impact.
4. Cubic Boron Nitride (CBN)
CBN is a super-hard material second only to diamond, with excellent thermal stability and wear resistance. It is mainly used for high-speed cutting of quenched steel, chilled cast iron, and other high-strength materials and is an ideal choice for precision machining and hard state cutting.
5. Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD)
PCD cutting tools have extremely high hardness and are suitable for processing non-ferrous metals, composite materials, and non-metallic materials such as aluminum, copper, and their alloys. However, they are not suitable for processing ferrous metals because diamond reacts with iron elements at high temperatures.
Three, Selecting Cutting Tool Materials Based on Processing Materials and Conditions
- For machining cast iron: it is recommended to use hard alloy or ceramic cutting tools.
- For machining steel: high-speed steel or hard alloy can be used for ordinary carbon steel, while淬火钢 is suitable for CBN cutting tools.
- For machining aluminum alloys: PCD cutting tools should be prioritized to achieve higher surface quality and tool life.
- For precision machining: it is recommended to use CBN or ceramic cutting tools to improve surface finish and dimensional accuracy.
- For rough machining or intermittent cutting: it is advisable to choose tough hard alloy or coated cutting tools.
Four, Conclusion
The selection of cutting tool materials should be a comprehensive evaluation of various factors such as workpiece material properties, cutting parameters, processing methods, and economy. With the development of the manufacturing industry towards high efficiency and high precision, new types of cutting tool materials are constantly emerging. The rational selection and application of these materials will become an important means to enhance corporate competitiveness. Therefore, it is of great significance to understand the performance of various cutting tool materials, master their application rules, and improve the level of metal cutting processing.
In the process of metal cutting and machining, the selection of cutting tool materials is a key factor affecting processing efficiency, workpiece quality, and tool life. Suitable cutting tool materials can not only improve production efficiency but also significantly reduce processing costs. Therefore, scientifically and reasonably selecting cutting tool materials is of great significance to modern manufacturing industries.
I. Basic Performance Requirements of Cutting Tool Materials
When selecting cutting tool materials, it is usually necessary to consider several key properties:
1. Hardness and Wear Resistance: The cutting tool material must have sufficient hardness to resist the friction of the workpiece material and maintain a sharp edge.
2. Thermal Resistance (Red Hardness): A large amount of heat is generated during the cutting process, and the cutting tool material should maintain hardness and strength at high temperatures.
3. Strength and Toughness: The cutting tool needs to withstand the impact force during the cutting process, so the material should have good bending strength and toughness.
4. Chemical Stability: The cutting tool material should not easily react with the workpiece material to prevent diffusion wear and adhesion wear.
Two, Common Cutting Tool Materials and Their Applications
1. High-Speed Steel (HSS)
High-speed steel is a traditional cutting tool material with good toughness, grindability, and low cost. It is suitable for medium and low-speed cutting operations such as drill bits, taps, and milling cutters. However, its hardness decreases rapidly at high temperatures and is not suitable for high-speed cutting.
2. Hard Alloy
Hard alloy is composed of tungsten carbide (WC) particles and cobalt (Co) binder, with high hardness, good wear resistance, and excellent thermal stability. It is widely used in high-speed cutting operations such as turning, milling, and drilling, especially suitable for processing materials such as cast iron, carbon steel, and stainless steel.
3. Ceramic Materials
Ceramic cutting tools such as aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), silicon nitride (Si₃N₄), etc., have extremely high hardness and thermal resistance, suitable for high-speed cutting of difficult-to-machine materials such as quenched steel. However, they are brittle and not suitable for intermittent cutting or situations with significant impact.
4. Cubic Boron Nitride (CBN)
CBN is a super-hard material second only to diamond, with excellent thermal stability and wear resistance. It is mainly used for high-speed cutting of quenched steel, chilled cast iron, and other high-strength materials and is an ideal choice for precision machining and hard state cutting.
5. Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD)
PCD cutting tools have extremely high hardness and are suitable for processing non-ferrous metals, composite materials, and non-metallic materials such as aluminum, copper, and their alloys. However, they are not suitable for processing ferrous metals because diamond reacts with iron elements at high temperatures.
Three, Selecting Cutting Tool Materials Based on Processing Materials and Conditions
- For machining cast iron: it is recommended to use hard alloy or ceramic cutting tools.
- For machining steel: high-speed steel or hard alloy can be used for ordinary carbon steel, while淬火钢 is suitable for CBN cutting tools.
- For machining aluminum alloys: PCD cutting tools should be prioritized to achieve higher surface quality and tool life.
- For precision machining: it is recommended to use CBN or ceramic cutting tools to improve surface finish and dimensional accuracy.
- For rough machining or intermittent cutting: it is advisable to choose tough hard alloy or coated cutting tools.
Four, Conclusion
The selection of cutting tool materials should be a comprehensive evaluation of various factors such as workpiece material properties, cutting parameters, processing methods, and economy. With the development of the manufacturing industry towards high efficiency and high precision, new types of cutting tool materials are constantly emerging. The rational selection and application of these materials will become an important means to enhance corporate competitiveness. Therefore, it is of great significance to understand the performance of various cutting tool materials, master their application rules, and improve the level of metal cutting processing.
