Inserts Make Hard Turning More Cost-Effective
Polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PcBN) mini-tipped inserts are a great way to lower per-part cost when turning hardened steel components. Kennametal´s two grades of double-sided PcBN inserts increase productivity and extend tool life when machining materials up to 65 HRC.
Posted: August 13, 2020
Polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PcBN) mini-tipped inserts are a great way to lower per-part cost when turning hardened steel components. Designed to deliver higher productivity and longer tool life when turning tool steels and other hardened materials, KBH10B (45% PcBN content) and KBH20B (60% PcBN) grades from Kennametal Inc. (Pittsburgh, PA) deliver higher productivity and lower cost per part when machining materials up to 65 HRC. That makes the double-sided inserts an excellent choice for high-volume production of hardened gears, shafts, bearings, housings, and other drivetrain components where tooling cost per part is an important metric.
Features include:
- Patented ceramic binder structure and TiN/TiAlN/TiN coating that provides extreme wear resistance even at elevated cutting speeds.
- A gold PVD coating makes it easy to identify when an insert needs indexing, while the numbered corners assure that a machine operator won´t inadvertently switch to a used edge.
- Two edge preparations in a trumpet-style hone for heavier and interrupted cuts, and a light hone for continuous turning. Both are free-cutting, further extending tool life and generating surface finishes down to 0.2 Ra.
- The PcBN mini-tips are offered in four insert shapes — three rhomboidal and one triangular — which means up to six cutting edges per insert.
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