Why Choose Carbide End Mills Over Steel Tools

[Geoffrey Less]

When most people think of machining tools, they naturally think of steel. High-speed steel is one of the most commonly used machining materials for a number of reasons. It is highly resistant and extremely sharp. The best part is that steel is a low-cost solution for the vast majority of your drilling and milling requirements. That is one of the reasons why many machine operators choose steel over carbide end mills for sale.

Despite being a cost effective option, the sharpness of steel wears off relatively quickly. These tools are impacting the workpiece several times per second and that kind of abuse takes its toll. Especially when used on hardened materials, these tools are prone to walking off target. Furthermore, they cannot operate effectively at high speeds or in hot environments without the risk of losing their temper and softening, making them unsuitable for more demanding tasks.

Because machining often demands the use of high speeds and temps, sometimes stronger tools need to be used. This is where carbide tools can really shine. When the most effective technologies and materials are used on the shop floor, high-performance machining allows enthusiasts and professionals to get the cleanest components possible.

Composite materials, such as tool carbide, have properties that metallic alloys do not have. The reason for this is that their constituents never form a solution. Their constituents retain their independent properties while acting as aggregates. Carbide is a type of ceramic powder. Each carbide granule is extremely rigid and dense, but in order to harness its cutting power, they must be bound together. Cobalt metal acts as the cement that holds these carbide granules together. They form one of the hardest materials in the machining industry when combined.

Carbide is about ten times as hard as steel. It means it is more resistant to wear and can maintain its sharpness for a longer period of time. Because the sharpness of these tools is provided by the incredibly strong ceramic granules, the edges of these tools also start out extremely sharp. Another advantage of carbide is that it is more rigid than steel, which means it provides better accuracy for holemaking tasks and gives machinists a better chance of staying true to print.

Furthermore, carbide can withstand high temperatures. This means that it can be driven at higher speeds and more aggressively than steel, making quick work of difficult-to-machine materials like stainless steel, titanium alloys, and many others. This is the foundation of today's high-performance machining practices, which require not only higher feed rates and precision, but also lower costs in terms of tool cycling and stability.

Online Carbide is a carbide cutting tool manufacturer and supplier that specializes in providing the best machining tools to high-performance workshops. They are an American company, so you can be confident that their carbide end mills for sale meet the highest quality standards, and they offer incredible prices by eliminating the middlemen. Visit them today or email them at [e-mail] if you have any questions about their tools.

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