A. High speed steel (HSS)
High-speed steel is a steel containing alloy elements such as molybdenum, tungsten, and cobalt, which has high hardness and wear resistance. It is suitable for cutting iron, steel, aluminum and other materials, especially under low speed and low heat conditions. High speed steel cutting tools are relatively low cost. It easily loses hardness during high-speed cutting, so it is not suitable for high-speed machining.
B. Dartstone (PCD)
Dartstone (polycrystalline diamond) is an artificial super-hard material with extremely high hardness and wear resistance. It is suitable for high-speed cutting of non-ferrous metals (such as aluminum, copper), synthetic materials (such as carbon fiber) and materials with high silicon content. Due to their high wear resistance, dart stone cutters can achieve high precision and surface quality. Not suitable for cutting iron and steel and will cause wear on cutting tools.
C. Carbide
Carbide is a composite material composed of a hard phase (such as tungsten carbide) and a flexible phase (such as cobalt) that has high hardness and wear resistance. Suitable for high-speed cutting of iron, steel, stainless steel and other materials. Carbide cutting tools have higher thermal stability and cutting speed than high-speed steel cutting tools, but the cost is higher.
D. Ceramic
Ceramic cutting tools are made of inorganic materials such as aluminum oxide and aluminum nitride and have high hardness, wear resistance and heat resistance. Suitable for high-speed cutting of steel, iron, nickel-based alloys and other materials. The cutting speed and life of ceramic tools are better than those of high-speed steel and carbide, but they are more fragile than carbide and dart stones and are not suitable for applications that encounter vibration and intermittent cutting.
E. Boron nitride (CBN)
Boron nitride is an artificial super-hard material, second only to diamond, with high hardness, wear resistance and heat resistance. It is especially suitable for high-speed cutting of hard-to-machine materials such as cemented carbide, iron, steel, and nickel-based alloys. Boron nitride tools achieve high precision and surface quality and can withstand high heat input. Cost is higher and may not be as effective as dart stones and carbide in cutting non-ferrous metals and soft materials.