A relatively new invention, carbide, cuts (machines) much faster than the top of the line metal cutting tool did in the 70's and before. High speed steel had been the preferred cutting tool grade for decades at that time.
Cemented carbide, also called sintered carbide with all it's coating and chemical additives, is the number 1 choice for any metal turning business today.
To deal with the wide variety of exotic metals we have in production today. Carbide inserts have followed suit and mist metals have a cutting insert especially formulated for that particular application.
Manufacturers have a wide range of chemicals to add to the mixture. Each meant to cause the carbide to inherit a specific property.
All tool holders to fasten the carbide insert into place, have a standardized nomenclature. I know just by looking at the insert holder, that I need a CNMG 866. After years of machining these nbers become second nature and they are not that difficult to reverse engineer back through the name and end up with a geometry.
The grades on the other hand, are much more difficult to figure out.
Every manufacturer has their hardness grading system so, it is necessary to learn many naming systems. Sure I know that a Boehlerit CNMG 643 with a grade of BMR is roughly equivalent to a CNMG 643 from Kennametal with a grade of KC 850 and if you would like me to add an equivalent from Sandvik, I cant. I need to go do some research but, it could be found.
Now, the big question? We have standardized carbide insert sizes, why is this particular industry not standardizing their products.
Many would argue that it helps keep more of a particular manufacturers in stock at a machining company but, I have not seen this ever work. You are not going to be able to live on Kennametal alone.
A system could be formulated that would take into account hardness, brittleness and composition of materials added.
I wonder if all these giant corporations could ever shake hands on such a deal.
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