Common tool materials in tool grinding are high-speed steel, powder metallurgy high-speed steel, carbide and PCD, CBN, cermet and other superhard materials. High-speed steel tool sharp, good toughness, hard alloy tool hardness but poor toughness. The density of the carbide tool is obviously higher than that of a high-speed steel tool. These two materials are the main materials for drill, reamer, milling cutter, and tap. Powder metallurgy high-speed steel, whose properties are between the above two materials, is mainly used for making rough milling cutters and taps.
A high-speed steel tool is not sensitive to the collision because of its good toughness. But hard alloy tool hardness is high and brittle, very sensitive to the collision, the edge is easy to jump. Therefore, in the process of grinding, the operation and placement of carbide tools must be very careful to prevent the collision between the tools or tool fall. Due to the high-speed steel tool accuracy is relatively low, its grinding requirements are not high, plus its price is not high, so, many manufacturers set up their own tool workshop for its grinding. But hard alloy tools often need to be sent to the professional grinding center for grinding. According to statistics from the China Tool Repair and Grinding Center, more than 80% of repair tools are carbide tools.