Kennametal insert chip breakers increase tool life

Kennametal has introduced the Beyond range of screw-on positive insert chip breakers that are showing up to 250 per cent longer tool life across a variety of applications and materials.

The range comprises three inserts: FP (finishing positive), MP (medium/roughing positive) and MW (flat top).

Ujjwal Baid, senior product manager at Kennametal, said: 'Dimensional tolerances are tighter by 50 per cent for improved indexability and tool life is up to 250 per cent higher across a range of cutting parameters in turning steel, cast-iron, stainless-steel and high-temp alloy workpieces.

'This means many more parts per edge for a large number of manufacturers.

FP chip-breaker inserts have a proprietary chip groove that results in lower cutting forces and a nose design that avoids overcrowding of chips in the nose radius area.

This optimises chip control while permitting higher metal removal rates at lower cutting forces.

MP chip breaker inserts are suitable for chamfering applications and spindle boring as a result of their high-strength edges for increased depth of cut.

The flat-top MW Beyond insert provides positive cutting and shows consistent chip control in short-chipping materials, such as cast iron, according to the company.

Along with the UF chip breaker inserts, which are already available in Beyond grades, this screw-on platform covers the entire range of machining needs.

All the screw-on inserts share the performance characteristics of the entire Beyond line - micro-polished edges that are intended to improve edge toughness, proprietary post-coat treatment that is said to reduce depth-of-cut notching and a fine-grained alumina layer that is claimed to enhance coating integrity at higher cutting speeds.

Baid said: 'In one test, an automotive manufacturer was performing internal diameter turning on grey-iron engine-block castings with varying depths of casting scale.

'The new FP inserts showed an increase of 215 per cent in parts per edge without changing speed, feed or depth of cut.

Kennametal launched its entire Beyond line of high-performance turning products at IMTS 2008, which included 11 grades for improved productivity in steel, stainless-steel and cast-iron applications.

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