F7030

Due to their impressive general-purpose capabilities which combine the extreme toughness of cemented carbide with the high wear resistance of coated layers, coated grades are widely used not only for turning operations but for a whole range of steel milling applications as well. However, to meet the relentless demand to conserve energy, cut the prices of tools and yield cost reduction in other aspects, tools must now offer higher performances, a longer life and higher reliability.

The reliability of the tools is particularly important for milling because interrupted cutting inevitably takes place in this machining mode. Indeed, in the case of milling tools which are exposed on an intermittent basis to mechanical impact and thermal shock, their cutting edges are susceptible to abnormal damage in such forms as spalling of the coated layer, chipping and fracturing caused by mechanical and thermal shock. In fact, it is very often the case that a tool will reach the end of its service life before the coated layer which is responsible for ensuring the wear resistance of the cutting edge can satisfactorily demon-strate its performance.

Consequently, in the sphere of CVD coated grades used for steel milling which are already used in prac-tical applications, substrates specifically designed for coating have been developed and employed so as to ensure that the CVD coated grades with their high wear resistance will demonstrate their capa-bilities to the full. These substrates feature improved toughness and strength, and they have much higher levels of resistance to fracturing and thermal shock.

In other words, improvements in the wear resistance and bondability of the coated layers are now part and parcel of the efforts to develop milling grades with a higher performance, longer life and greater reliability. Furthermore, improvements in reliability as a protection from abnormal damage in the cemented carbide substrates which support the coated layers are also absolutely essential.

CVD coated grade F7030 was developed on the basis of these considerations. Through the introduction of the latest CVD coating technology, the resistance to both wear and chipping of its coated layer was taken to a new level while the toughness and resistance to thermal shock of its ce-mented carbide substrate that supports the coated layer was also significantly improved. These im-provements have enabled Mitsubishi Materials to increase the reliability of the cutting edge minimizing abnormal damage and maximizing the effect of the wear resistance produced by the coating.

Grade F7030 is designed for milling applications with impressive general-purpose capabilities: it can be used in a wide spectrum of machining applications ranging from the heavy-duty interrupted machining and wet machining to the high-speed dry machining of carbon steels, alloy steels, stainless steels, etc.

The features of the F7030's materials, its cutting performance and examples of how the grade is used are presented below.

Mitsubishi Materials U.S.A. Corp., 17401 Eastman Street, Irvine, CA 92614. Tel: 949-862-5100; Fax: 949-862-5182.