Finishing Steel Faster: Cermet vs Carbide, Uncoated vs Coated
Shorter cycle times are key for manufacturers to remain competitive and profitable. For roughing applications customers can try running higher cutting speeds, taking heavier depths of cut or using higher feedrates to maximize the metal removal rate and shorten cycle times. However, in finishing applications the depth of cut is usually fixed (1 finish pass) so only the cutting speed or feed can be addressed. The purpose of this evaluation was to see how CVD-coated cermets compared to PVD-coated and uncoated cermets and CVD-coated carbide when finishing 1045 steel.