Featuring a bronze-coloured titanium oxy-carbonitride (TiOCN) top coating that increases wear resistance, and which is also a wear indicator, Kennametal’s Beyond Drive cutting inserts come in a range of grades and geometries.

The insert design and construction aim to reduce notch wear in demanding applications and crater wear in difficult materials, all while improving wear identification.

For example, the Beyond Drive MR (medium roughing) insert has a high positive rake angle that works with the curved cutting edge to reduce cutting forces and extend tool life. Indexable double-sided inserts are subject to high cutting forces and are commonly seen as less stable. But MR’s rake profile avoids points of high load concentration, resulting in an extremely stable insert body. Even in high depth-of-cut applications, turning processes are safer and more stable, ensuring lower load on the machine tool and workpiece. Additionally, MR inserts also feature formed-in coolant channels that deliver flood coolant efficiently to the cutting edge. Improved heat control translates into smoother cutting and extended tool life.

In one test for a plant producing cast-iron transmission components, Beyond Drive completed 325 pieces per cutting edge compared to 200 pieces for the plant’s current inserts, with no change in feed, spindle speed or depth of cut. In addition, projected machine hours freed per year totalled 125, while the number of inserts required per year dropped from 813 to 500.

For more information contact Kennametal South Africa on TEL: 011 748 9300 or visit www.kennametal.com