Ceramic Vs Carbide Inserts

Properties of tungsten carbide and ceramic tools properties tungsten carbide ceramic hardness ra 90 95 91 95 compressive strength mpa 4100 5850 2750 4500 transverse rupture strength mpa 1050 2600 345 950 impact strength j 0 34 1 35 0 1.

Ceramic vs carbide inserts.

Here is a breakdown of some of the most popular ceramic inserts. High pressures are also used. Solid carbide is extremely heat resistant and used for high speed applications. Silicon carbide sic whiskers are often used to provide additional strength in ceramic inserts.

The surface of these inserts is very smooth allowing the chip to flow easily and prevent built up edges. Silicon carbide sic one of fuji s hardest and most popular insert materials. Made of ceramic particles bonded together with a nickel binder these tools are capable of running at higher speed than carbide tools and are much more wear resistant. It is a titanium based insert which is very light.

Sic can withstand any braided or super line without grooving. Ceramics are sometimes sintered heated to bond the particles without a secondary glue. Normal wear patterns for reinforced ceramic inserts are unlike wear patterns seen on carbide inserts. B carbide table 2.

Many shops waste money by tossing ceramic inserts prematurely. Because ceramics do not bond as easily as other materials much higher temperatures must be used during sintering. Titanium diboride tib2 is a corrosion resistant ceramic compound made of titanium and boron. For ceramic tools cvd coatings are the most common coatings starting from a dual layer system and going up to a multilayer system.

Tic tin or al 2 o 3 layers are the most common ntk cutting tools howard concurred that ceramic inserts are primarily cvd coated but the coatings themselves have a limited effect on overall performance. Carbides such as tungsten carbides are made with tungsten carbide particles glued together with cobalt depending on type they vary with percentage of cobalt and size of carbides. Smith ceramic inserts show flaking along the cutting edge. Ceramic inserts are 2 3 times more expensive compared to carbide.

Do you need a high power or high speed machine tool. Ceramic inserts are created in a process very similar to that used for cemented carbide. However due to metal removal rates achieved the cost per edge is less than carbide. It is commonly used on non ferrous materials including aluminum and magnesium alloys.

You are probably on the low end of speeds for a ceramic insert at 600 sfm. There are grades of carbide that will do 600 sfm and you re going to negatively affect the life of the insert by machining too slowly. The definitions of ceramics have changed greatly since early days.