Known as LKT 100, the new material is claimed to combine the toughness typical of silicon nitride ceramics with additional wear resistance. According to CeramTec, this increased performance is achieved using an innovative manufacturing process where the composition of the cutting material in the outer functional zone can be controlled. LKT is designed for cutting speeds of 400 to 1,000 metres per minute, with a cutting depth of up to four millimetres and feed rates of 0.15 to 0.5 millimetres.
"The new cutting material LKT100 offers very good tenacity with excellent wear resistance and particularly high notch dent resistance,” explained Johannes Schneider, senior product manager of Cutting Tools at CeramTec. “It allows large metal removal rates and thus enables advantageous cost-per-part machining results. We have developed the new cutting material for turning and drilling GJL-materials in smooth to heavily interrupted cuts."
According to CeramTec, the indexable inserts made from the new cutting material have a very distinct look, with colour nuances of the surface resulting from the newly developed machining step that delivers the increased wear resistance and toughness. These properties ensure a wide range of applications from smooth, continuous cuts to interrupted cuts and large chip cross-sections.
"Typical workpieces are, for example, brake discs, brake drums and other mass-produced components made of cast iron or also E-motor shells made of GJL that have to be drilled out,” Schneider continued.
“The LKT100 is suitable for roughing and rough-finishing with non-uniform and fluctuating allowances and furthermore creates high chip cross-sections."
