Advanced hard turning, or the use of superhard polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) cutting tools for machining hardened ferrous materials like cast irons, is eagerly sought across a number of key manufacturing industries. Hundreds of millions of brakes discs, brake drums, flywheels, and wheel hubs are required annually in motor vehicle, heavy equipment, and other industries, and although superhard tools show promise for turning such tough-to-machine parts, that promise has been stalled due to the tendency of these expensive tools to shatter and break under the extreme forces required. With decades of experience in advanced materials science and tool design, Kennametal is announcing Beyond Shield as the solution (responding to modern challenges in machining cast iron machining) to this situation.
