Efficient metal cutting tools are very critical for any relevant machining shop in Toronto to significantly reduce machining costs. Demanding customers who pay particular attention to productivity tend to require the most effective cutting tools with fast metal removal rates. Better and more capable cutting tools allow machine shops to cut accurately at increasingly higher speeds and feed rates.
Critical factors in achieving high speed machining
The definition of high speed in machining is relative because what some industries consider as high speed may not be so for others. In a machining shop in Toronto, they measure high speed by comparing their previous performance with present performance capabilities. In order to achieve high speed machining, shops can change an HSS tool to solid carbide that will increase machine speeds and feeds. Carbide cutters when used in some machining applications can remove material faster than HSS tools; however, in other applications, ceramic cutters can perform better than carbide cutters.
Making a proper choice for the material of the cutting tool can make a big difference in the speed of machining. In general, there are two performance criteria used in determining the applicability of the cutting tool material: toughness or ductility which is the resistance to fracture and thermal hardness which is the resistance to heat. Due to the combination of coatings, substrates and base materials, specific levels of toughness and thermal hardness are achieved to meet specific applications. Different types of surface treatment have been introduced in order to extend the life of the cutting tools and to cut down on power consumption. One significant development in coatings for HSS is titanium nitride that significantly extends the life of the cutting tool and allows it to be used on high operating speeds.
In a machining shop in Toronto, cutting tool materials are classified into different categories according to their toughness and thermal characteristics. High speed steel (HSS) is often used for power saw blades and drill bits because it cuts faster and displays high hardness than high carbon steel but it requires high temperature heat treatment. Ceramics and diamond-coated cutters have higher heat resistance but there is a tendency to fracture easily. High carbon steel has served its purpose well enough for decades but it now rarely used due to its limited low heat applications. Even if high carbon steel offers great resistance to abrasive wears, it quickly softens at relatively low cutting temperatures.
To make high cutting speeds possible, machining shop often makes use of cemented carbide tools that has hardness greater than other tool materials at room temperature. Cemented carbide possesses the ability to retain its hardness at elevated temperatures to a certain degree so that greater speeds can be achieved during the machining process. However, in spite of the advantages of cemented carbide, the cutting tool grade must be considered for the application. If the cutting tool will be used on cast iron, it must be graded as cast iron carbide. For cutting steel, it has to be steel graded carbide that has more resistance to cratering and heat.