Tungsten carbide inserts also called cemented carbide inserts, it is a relatively precious material. As tungsten carbide has excellent hardness and heat resistance properties, it is ideal for drilling, boring, shaping and forming metal workpieces. Also tungsten carbide inserts often used as tool tips. Most modern face mills, lathe tools and end mills use these cutting tools. Tungsten carbide inserts are typically treated as disposable materials, even though only the cutting edges of the inserts are worn when they're disposed.
Tungsten carbide inserts for such a wide range of machining processes is that the tungsten material used in creating tungsten carbide alloys is both scarce and expensive. With most tungsten reserves in the US and other Western countries exhausted, China supplies over 80% of the tungsten used worldwide. In 2005, the International Tungsten Industry Association estimated that at the current rate of global consumption, all tungsten reserves will be used up within 140 years.
The carbide material in the inserts is hard one and material and gives prolong life so whole tools in the carbide is expensive but the insert is inexpensive compared to the whole cost of the tools.
回复删除