What tool materials are used for cutting alloy steel?

Several tool materials are commonly used for cutting alloy steel due to their specific properties that enhance cutting performance and tool life. These materials include:

1.High-Speed Steel (HSS): Known for its toughness and ability to retain hardness at high temperatures, making it suitable for a wide range of cutting operations .

2.Cemented Carbides: These are widely used for their hardness and wear resistance, allowing for high-speed cutting and maintaining cutting edge sharpness .

3.Ceramics: Provide excellent wear resistance and can be used at very high cutting speeds, but they are more brittle compared to other materials .

4.Cermets: These are composites of ceramic and metallic materials, offering a good balance of toughness and wear resistance, suitable for finishing operations .

5.Cubic Boron Nitride (CBN): Extremely hard and wear-resistant, CBN is used for high-precision cutting of hardened steels and superalloys .

These materials are selected based on the specific requirements of the cutting operation, including the type of alloy steel being machined and the desired balance between cutting speed, tool life, and surface finish.