Tool Materials

Abstract

AbstractMachining of materials using a cutting tool harder than the work material is a common manufacturing operation. Geometrically defined cutting tools are used to produce parts to specifications. Materials that use abrasives where the geometry changes continuously are outside the scope of this article, which covers mainly tool materials used in operations involving metals and their alloys. Wear on the cutting tool can be in the form of crater wear, flank wear, notch wear, plastic deformation, and cracking of the tool. A wide range of tool materials is available, including various steels, cast cobalt alloys, cast and coated carbides, cubic boron nitride, sintered polycrystalline diamond, and diamond coating on cemented carbides and ceramics. Performance capabilities of these materials vary. Tool materials in the United States have an estimated value of greater than $300 billion per year. High speed steels (HSS) and cemented carbides are the most extensively used tool materials, accounting for $2 billion in sales. Safety is of particular concern in metal‐cutting operations, and precautions should be taken for flying fragments. Future prospects for development of tool materials with superior qualities are outlined.