MODULE 6

TOOL MATERIALS

History of Cutting Tool Materials

Cutting tool used during the industrial revolution in 1800 A.D
First cutting tool was cast using crucible method (1740) and
slightly hardened by heat treatmen
R Mushet (1868) found by adding Tungsten, one can increase
hardness and tool life (air quenching)
FW Taylor in Pennsylvania did the most basic research in metal
cutting between 1880-1905 and invented high speed steel (better
heat treatment process
Tungsten Carbide was first synthesized in 1890
Took 3 decades to synthesis Cemented Carbide by Sintering
technology (first used in Germany)

Selection Criterion / Requirements for Cutting Tools

High hardness at elevated temperatures (high hot hardness)
Sufficient toughness to withstand any interruptions or vibrations
occurring in cutting process, i.e. ability to withstand various
forms of breakage (ability to hold cutting edge)
High wear resistance, so that mechanical wear is minimum at an
acceptable tool life for economical machining
High corrosion resistance (rusting & pitting)
High chemical stability or inertness, so that at elevated
temperatures produced in cutting process adverse reactions
contributing to tool wear can be avoided

Materials used for Cutting Tools

Ferrous Materials
Carbon and Medium Alloys Steels, Tool Steels (High Speed
Steels), Cast Iron, Carbides, Coated Tools
Non Ferrous Materials
Aluminum, Zinc, Lead, Bismuth
Non Metallic Materials
Plastics, rubbers, epoxy resins, Sialons, Ceramics, Cubic
Boron Nitride (invented by GE, 1969), Silicon Nitride, Diamond
(Man made and natural), Whisker reinforced tool materials

Carbon & Medium Alloy Steels

Oldest of tool materials used for drills, taps, broaches and
reamers since the 1880s
Material was improved with development of low & medium alloy
steels for improved tool life
Inexpensive, easy to sharpen but lack sufficient hot hardness
and wear resistance at high cutting speeds
Use is limited to very low speed cutting operations and they do
not constitute range of tool materials usually employed in present
day cutting operations

High Speed Steels (HSS)

Invented by FW Taylor and M White (1900s), who raised hardening
temperature of steel and able to promote an increase of cutting
speed compared to previous steels
Very highly used alloy steels and can be hardened to various
depths
Highest toughness & wear resistance, but hardness is lowest and
good only for positive rake angle tools
Soften at cutting temp. of 60000C causing failure of cutting edge
Use is limited to low cutting speeds. i.e. 50 m/min
Contribute about 10% of turning, 80% of drilling and 40% of
milling cutter market
Two series, i.e. Molybdenum (M series) & Tungsten (T series)
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T Series

12 18 % Tungsten
Chromium, vanadium etc

M Series

10% Molybdenum
Chromium, Vanadium, Tungsten, Cobalt
Better abrasion resistance
Less expensive
Less distortion
95% of HSS used is M series

Early 1900s
Very highly used alloy steel
Can be hardened to various depths
Good wear resistance
High toughness
Good for positive rake angle tools.
Two basic types of HSS
Molybdenum: ( M Series)
Tungsten: (T Series)

Alloying Elements in HSS

Co Increase hot hardness, i.e. raise the temperature at which
hardness starts to fall. It does not form carbides but
dissolves in metal and stabilizes precipitate carbide
particles
Cr
V

forms carbides that dissolve during hardening and thus

improves hardenability.
Forms carbide VC, which is stable and shows little
tendency to dissolve during heating part of hardening
cycle and has very high hardness and contributes to wear
resistance of steel

W, form carbides which are essential for secondary hardening

Mo (during 1930s & 2nd World War, when tungsten availability
was limited molybdenum was used in its place

Classification of Cutting Tool Materials

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Classification of Cutting Tool Materials

Cold work

W (water hardening)
O (oil hardening)
A ( air hardening)
D (high C & Cr)

W1, W2, W5
O1, O2, O6, O7
A2, A4, A6, A7, A8, A9, A10, A11
D2, D3, D4, D5, D7

Shock
resisting
Hot work

S1, S2, S4, S5, S6, S7

Chromium types: H10-H19

Tungsten types: H20-H39
Molybdenum types: H40-H59

High speed M
T

Molybdenum types: M1, M2, M3-1, M32, M4, M6, M7, M10, M33, M34, M36,
M41, M42, M46, M50
Tungsten types: T1, T4, T5, T6, T8, T15

Mold
Special
purpose

P6, P20, P21

L2, L6

P
L

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