Which tool is more reliable for precision turning?

When it comes to precision turning, many people's first reaction may be: "That requires very high-end equipment." In fact, in addition to the machine tool itself, choosing the right cutting tool is the key step that really affects the processing quality.

If you are a workshop operator, a mechanical enthusiast, or just interested in metal processing, this article will take you to quickly understand - what kind of cutting tools should be selected for precision turning to be fast, stable and accurate?

1. What is a "good-to-use" precision turning tool?

It is not that the more expensive the better. Tools that are truly suitable for precision turning must meet several conditions:

- High hardness but good toughness: It must be able to "bite" the material, but not easy to break the edge.

- Sharp cutting edge: Especially when processing small parts or detailed parts, the sharpness directly determines the surface finish of the processing.

- Wear-resistant and high-temperature-resistant: Long-term high-speed rotation cannot cause excessive wear due to heat.

- Good dimensional stability: Precision turning requires "details", and the tool itself must also be precise.

2. Inventory of commonly used cutting tools

The following is a classification by material + purpose to talk about which tools perform best in actual operation.

1. Carbide Tools

This is the most commonly used tool material in precision turning. It takes into account hardness and heat resistance, and can cut various materials such as stainless steel, aluminum alloy, titanium alloy, etc. at high speed.

Suitable scenarios:

- Massive parts processing

- Medium to high strength metals

- Workpieces requiring high finish and stable size

Advantages:

- Long service life

- High processing efficiency

- Low tool change frequency

2. CBN tools (Cubic Boron Nitride)

This type of tool is designed for hard materials, such as hardened steel, hard cast iron, etc. It is more wear-resistant than cemented carbide and is the representative of "hardest of hard".

Suitable scenarios:

- Finishing of extremely hard materials

- High-precision dimensional control

Tips:

CBN tools are not cheap and are suitable for stable batch processing, but not suitable for frequent replacement.

3. Ceramic tools

Ceramic tools are famous for their high heat resistance and are suitable for high-speed dry cutting. However, it is not very impact-resistant and is suitable for stable and continuous cutting.

Suitable scenarios:

- High-speed turning of hard steel and high-temperature alloys

- Processing with extremely high surface requirements

Suggestions for use:

Don't use it on intermittent cutting (such as casting blanks), otherwise it is easy to break the knife.

4. Diamond tool (PCD)

If you are processing "non-ferrous materials" such as aluminum alloy, copper, plastic, composite materials, etc., then diamond tools are the king.

Suitable scenarios:

- Aviation light metal parts

- Automobile lightweight parts

- Workpieces with extremely high surface finish requirements

Notes:

Don't use it to process ferrous metals, otherwise the diamond tool will wear quickly.

3. Blade shape and angle are also important

In addition to the material, blade shape, blade tip angle, and rake/back angle design will affect the processing performance.

- Small tip radius (less than 0.2mm): Suitable for ultra-fine machining

- Positive rake angle tool: More suitable for machining soft materials

- Negative rake angle tool: More suitable for hard materials with strong rigidity and strength

If you are not sure how to choose, you can start with ISO standard blade models (such as CCMT, VNMG, TNMG, etc.), which have been classified according to general machining characteristics.

To summarize:

Precision turning has high requirements for tools, but it is not necessary to choose the most expensive one. The key is "suitability". When choosing a tool, just remember three points:

1. See what material you are machining

2. What is the machining speed and batch

3. Is the precision requirement of the finished product high

If you are a beginner, it is recommended to start with carbide; if you are a veteran who pursues the ultimate surface quality, diamond or CBN is a better choice.

As one of the precision turning and machining manufacturers and suppliers in China, you can buy Precision CNC center parts and Precision CNC turning parts from HANGZHOU GRAND. All our products are made in China. Our precision parts are with good quality and quick lead time.Visit our website at www.grand-precisionindustry.com to learn more about our products. For inquiries, you can reach us at zhaoyingjie@grandind.com.