Kunshan Meiyaxing Hardware Machinery Co., Ltd., a direct branch of Hong Kong Meiya International Trading Co., Ltd. in China, owns its own cutting tool brand: MANF, and engages in the sales and operation services of CNC cutting tools. It provides tungsten carbide end mills, milling inserts, turning inserts, grooving and parting inserts, drilling and boring inserts, multi-functional inserts, threading inserts, and other indexable inserts and their matching tool holders and tool holders. Furthermore, it has established long-term strategic partnerships with several well-known manufacturers, jointly developing R&D, design, and production teams, utilizing advanced equipment and continuously innovating technological capabilities. Committed to mutual cooperation and a technology-service-oriented approach, it forms a mutually supportive industrial chain to solve various processing problems for manufacturing enterprises. In machining, the choice of milling inserts directly affects machining efficiency, workpiece quality, and tooling costs. Many operators have experienced this frustration: the same milling cutter produces smooth machining on machine tool A, but frequently chips and breaks on machine tool B. The key issue often lies not in the "quality" of the tool itself, but in whether the matching logic between the insert and the specific machining scenario is truly understood. This article systematically outlines the key points for selecting general-purpose milling inserts from four dimensions: insert material, coating technology, geometric parameters, and matching with the machining scenario.
I. Starting with Insert Material-Choosing the Right "Base" is Fundamental
The base material of the insert determines its basic profile of hardness, toughness, and heat resistance, and is the first step in selection.
1.1 High-Speed Steel (HSS)
High-speed steel inserts have moderate hardness (HRC 62~67), good toughness, and can withstand large impact loads. However, they have poor heat resistance (≤600℃), making them suitable for low-speed cutting. On ordinary milling machines with cutting speeds of 15~80 m/min, HSS inserts exhibit good cost-effectiveness, especially suitable for machining conventional materials such as carbon steel and alloy steel. They are particularly economical when the workpiece hardness is below HRC 35. HSS inserts are also a common option in toughness-priority strategies for intermittent cutting conditions in continuous cutting.
1.2 Carbide
Carbide is currently the most widely used insert material in general milling. Its hardness can reach HRA 89~93, and its heat resistance can reach 800~1000℃. It performs exceptionally well at cutting speeds of 100~300 m/min. Common grades include YT15 (machining steel) and YW1 (general purpose). The cobalt content of carbide is usually controlled between 6% and 12%, and the tungsten carbide particle size is 0.5~2 mm. μm, this combination ensures that the insert has both sufficient hardness and reasonable toughness.
When machining ordinary carbon steel (such as 45 steel, Q235), carbide inserts are preferred; when machining stainless steel, heat-resistant alloys, and titanium alloys, where the cutting forces are larger, carbide inserts are also suitable, but require a sharp cutting edge.
1.3 Cermet
Cermet inserts combine the high hardness of ceramics with the toughness of carbide, making them suitable for finishing. In milling steel parts, cermet inserts are preferred for finishing, as their surface finish is superior to ordinary carbide. However, the bending strength and fracture toughness of cermet are lower than those of carbide, making them unsuitable for heavy-duty roughing and interrupted cutting scenarios.
1.4 Ceramics and CBN
Ceramic inserts (Al₂O₃-based or Si₃N₄-based) have excellent hardness and high-temperature performance, making them suitable for high-speed cutting of cast iron and hardened steel, but their toughness is relatively low and their impact resistance is weak, requiring caution in interrupted cutting. For hardened steel (HRC... For machining applications with a hardness of 45~65, CBN (cubic boron nitride) inserts are the preferred choice. CBN tools have extremely high hardness (HV 2800~3500), good heat resistance, and are suitable for high-speed finishing and "turning instead of grinding" processes.
1.5 Diamond (PCD)
PCD (polycrystalline diamond) tools are currently the hardest insert material (HV 6000~8000). They react with iron, therefore they cannot be used for machining steel materials, but they are the first choice for high-speed milling of aluminum alloys and copper alloys, with linear speeds reaching over 3000 m/min. When machining high-silicon aluminum (silicon content ≥13%), PCD inserts are the only choice due to their extremely high wear resistance.
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Contact us:Company name:Kunshan Meiyaxing Hardware Machinery Co., Ltd;Tel:8618962438699;Address: Room 3003, Building 3, Zhengtailong, No. 1288 Chengbei Middle Road, Kunshan City, Jiangsu Province, China;Email:myxcuttingtools@gmail.com;Website: https://www.myxcuttingtools.com
