What is Tungsten Carbide or Hard Metal?

Tungsten Carbide is often referred to as a Hard Metal due to it’s very high hardness in relation to other metals.
Typically a Tungsten Carbide Hard Metal can have a hardness value of 1600 HV, whereas mild steel would be in the region of 160 HV a factor of 10 lower.
Although called a hard metal, Tungsten Carbide is actually a composite material with hard particles of Tungsten Carbide embedded in a softer matrix of metallic Cobalt .
What is the Chemical Formula for Tungsten Carbide?
The chemical formula for Tungsten Carbide is WC.
What is the History of Hard Metals or Tungsten Carbide?
Tungsten Carbide was originally developed in Germany in the 1920’s as there was a requirement for die materials that were able to stand up to the high wear encountered in the drawing of tungsten filaments for light bulbs
How is Hard Metal or Tungsten Carbide Made?
Tungsten Carbide Hard Metals are primarily produced using a Powder Metallurgy process, whereby the powdered forms of tungsten carbide and cobalt are mixed using ball mills, a binder material is added to hold the powders together during the next stage of the process which is compaction or pressing.
During the compaction processes, hydraulic presses or isostatic presses are used to compact the powders into a shape which approximates the design of the finished product.