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Increased demand for high speed steel tools

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Update time : 2018-11-06 16:43:48
The global demand for high speed steel tools is growing and there are no signs of slowing down. Demand from major industries, such as automotive, construction, and stable demand in the heavy electrical and industrial equipment industries, supports this growth.
Despite the increasing competition from solid carbide tools, high-speed steel tools are still widely used due to their affordable price and high hardness and toughness. The most striking feature of high-speed steel tools is their excellent toughness. They are most suitable for product diversification and workshops that are very concerned about tool costs. They play a major role in the efficient and reliable processing of various components. In the current global economic environment, cost-effective product quality has proven to be more attractive.
In order to support the global demand for high speed steel tools, cutting tool manufacturers have increased their investment, including increasing R&D investment. These investments have made high-speed steel tools more reliable, resulting in improved quality, lower production costs and shorter production cycles. Improved matrix materials, including powder metallurgy and coatings, further enhance the performance of high speed steel tools.

Increased demand for high speed steel tools
A typical high speed steel composition contains 4% chromium, 6% tungsten, 5% molybdenum, 2% vanadium, 1% carbon. High-speed steels of different materials have different elements added, and as a result, tool materials with high toughness are less likely to break.
The commonly used cobalt-rich high-speed steel (HSS-E) has a slightly different composition content, with a cobalt content increase of 5%-8%, a molybdenum content of 9%, and a tungsten content of 1.5%. Compared to ordinary high speed steel, this difference in composition can result in higher red hardness and wear resistance. In general, more tools with more cobalt are used for special applications.
Regardless of the type of machine tool, even if it loses its rigidity due to its age, and regardless of the clamping of the workpiece, the high speed steel tool can resist vibration. When milling, high-speed steel tools prevent mechanical shock at the teeth and overcome thermal shock due to uneven lubrication.

Thanks to the high-strength steel's strength characteristics, toolmakers can produce extremely sharp cutting edges, making difficult-to-machine materials easier to machine and reducing the work hardening of austenitic stainless steels and nickel-based alloys.
With the appropriate tool structure, the workpiece material can be sheared rather than extruded during cutting, extending tool life and reducing cutting temperatures. The correct tool design also reduces cutting forces and reduces the cutting power of the machine.
From the perspective of tool life, high-speed steel performance is excellent in interrupted cutting. However, the limited cutting speed range is much lower than that of cemented carbide tools. From the perspective of cutting speed and efficiency, cobalt-rich high-speed steel (HSS-E) and powder metallurgy high-speed steel (PM HSS) can fill the gap between ordinary high-speed steel and cemented carbide tools.

High-speed steel has been the industry's conventional cutting tool material, but this does not mean that it has stopped developing and improving since its application in the late 19th century. The development of cobalt-rich high-speed steel (HSS-E) and powder metallurgy cobalt-rich high-speed steel can bring higher alloying element content and special performance combination, which can improve the toughness, wear resistance and hardness of the tool.
In addition, for TiN, TiAlN and TiCN coatings as well as multilayer composite coatings, cobalt-rich high-speed steel (HSS-E) and powder metallurgy cobalt-rich high-speed steel are excellent substrates for various coatings.
The coating significantly improves tool life and further enhances the performance of high speed steel tools in high productivity with high cutting speeds and high feed rates. Coated tools are especially important for dry cutting, difficult machining or hardened material cutting. The coating improves the surface hardness of the tool, enhances resistance to crater wear, reduces friction for chip removal, reduces cutting heat and improves the surface quality of the workpiece being machined. For example, TiAlN coated cobalt-rich high-speed steel (HSS-E) tools are resistant to high temperatures and are suitable for dry-cut cast iron, while TiAlN coated powder metallurgy cobalt-rich high-speed steel tools (HSS-E-PM) are suitable for cutting medium And higher hardness alloys.


High-speed steel tools are still an ideal choice for many applications where users need cost-effective, reliable, stable and versatile tools. Therefore, in the face of newer, more technologically advanced materials, high-speed steel can still stand on the market. Thanks to the new coatings, adjustment components and new technologies, high-speed steel has become more powerful after years of development, making it an important tool material in the metal cutting industry.
The competition in the metal cutting industry has always been fierce. As an important tool material, high-speed steel provides an indispensable choice for users.