Just as in the case of steel selection, choosing the optimum grade of tungsten carbide (WC) is a complex process involving compromised choices between wear-resistance and toughness/shock resistance. Cemented tungsten carbide is made by sintering (at high temperature) a combination of tungsten carbide powder with powdered cobalt (Co), a ductile metal that serves as a "binder" for the extremely hard tungsten carbide particles. The heat of the sintering process does not involve a reaction of the 2 constituents, but rather causes the cobalt to reach a near-liquid state and become like an encapsulating glue matrix for the WC particles (which are unaffected by the heat). Two parameters, namely the ratio of Cobalt to WC and the WC particle size, significantly control the bulk material properties of the resulting "cemented tungsten carbide" piece.
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Specifying a large WC particle size and a high percentage of Cobalt will yield a highly shock resistant (and high impact strength) part. The finer the WC grain size (therefore, the more WC surface area that has to be coated with Cobalt) and the less Cobalt used, the harder and more wear-resistant the resulting part will become. To get the best performance from carbide as a blade material, it is important to avoid premature edge failures caused by chipping or breakage, while simultaneously assuring optimum wear resistance.
As a practical matter, the production of extremely sharp, acutely angled cutting edges dictates that a fine grained carbide be used in blade applications (in order to prevent large nicks and rough edges). Given the use of carbide which has an average grain size of 1 micron or less, carbide blade performance; therefore, becomes largely influenced by the % of Cobalt and the edge geometry specified. Cutting applications that involve moderate to high shock loads are best dealt with by specifying 12-15 percent Cobalt and edge geometry having an included edge angle of about 40º. Applications that involve lighter loads and place a premium on long blade life are good candidates for carbide that contains 6-9 percent cobalt and has an included edge angle in the range of 30-35º.
Tungsten Carbide is the longest wearing blade material available for many slitting applications. We have seen it wear up to 75X longer than standard steel blades. If you need a longer wearing blade, Tungsten Carbide usually gives you the wear-life you need to increase your productivity.
Passion tool only uses the highest quality Tungsten Carbide to make sure our customers receive the sharpest and longest wearing blades. Our Carbide Blades are made from material that has a Sub-Micron Grain Structure and has gone through a HIP (Hot Isostatic Press) process to ensure the longest wear and sharpest edges. Each blade is also inspected under magnification for quality control.
It is a miracle for carbide raw material to go from powder particle to industrial knife semi-finished product, and from semi-finished product to precision tool is the manufacturing process of art. Choose PASSION TOOL®, choose a high-quality WC factory, will win you more high-quality customers.
Post time: Jul-20-2023
