Types of G30 Carbide Tools

There are several types of G30 carbide tools, and each is meant for particular applications. These tools, which include inserts, end mills, drills, reamers, and more, are commonly used in the machining process for hard metals. They are wear-resistant and durable. G30 inserts, for example, can hold up to extended use and tolerate heat, making them suitable for various machining operations.

Tungsten Grit Nail Filer

The grit carbide nail file is a combination of a tungsten carbide nail file and an embedded grit tungsten carbide nail file. It is tough enough to handle hard gel and acrylic fills. The long-lasting material reduces filing time, and the angled end allows for precision filing and buffing of the nail surface.
Tungsten Nails Grit File

This is a durable professional tool designed to quickly file and shape nails while being gentle enough on the natural nail. Grit files can be disinfected and reused, making them a cost-effective nail maintenance tool. It's lightweight and portable, perfect for salons and home use.
G30 profile inserts

G30 profile inserts are a carbide cutting tool used in turning operations in metal machining because it can withstand abrasive wear. These distinguishing Cobalt-indexed inserts can be used, for example, in shaping tools for intricate designs. The G30 designation usually implies a certain cutting edge geometry or a specific application characteristic that differentiates it from other inserts.
End mills

Carbide end mills have excellent hardness and can withstand even high temperatures. Cobalt provides wear resistance so the end mill can maintain its cutting edge in extended applications. It can be used to cut hard alloys, tool steels, stainless steel, etc. They are effective in both wet and dry operations. For improved strength, toughness, and durability, consider an end mill with tungsten carbide added in the mix.
Carbide drill bits

Carbide drill bits have superior hardness and wear resistance. Tungsten carbide drill bits are tougher than steel alloys, and cobalt carbide drill bits have improved wear resistance and thermal stability.
Carbide reamers

Carbide reamers are precisely machined rotary cutting tools that, like drill bits, are made of carbide or contain tungsten or cobalt carbide. They can be used on abrasively hard materials that might otherwise dull or damage high-speed steel tools.
Carbide inserts

Carbide inserts are cutting tool components manufactured from cemented carbide. They incorporate materials such as tungsten carbide for wear resistance and cobalt for toughness. Because of this, the G30 inserts can maintain a sharper edge for a longer time frame even when machining abrasive materials.

What Makes Tungsten Carbide Tools Strong

Material composition: Tungsten carbide is a heavy chemical compound that consists of two different metal constituents: tungsten and carbon. Tungens is a dense metallic element with high atomic density and boiling and melting temperatures. It is hard and very stiff, resisting deformation under pressure. Tungsten carbide, therefore, makes for a material that is resistant to mechanical wear and tear due to constant friction and heat generated from the contact with grinding machinery.
Hardness: Tungsten carbide has about 15 to 20 times the hardness of steel. This makes it stand out as one of the hardest commercially available materials.
Wear Resistance: Since carbide tools can withstand abrasion during machining operations, they will last much longer than steel or other tools. They can also be used on exceptionally hard materials like tool steel, stainless steel, titanium alloys, and cobalt chrome. While steel tools tend to wear down from abrasion, cemented carbide tools made from carbide inserts, end mill cutters, reamers, and drills will not wear down easily and therefore have greater efficacy.
Toughness and Brittleness: The presence of cobalt in carbide provides toughness that makes the tools impact-resistant. Other parts, like the end mill cutter, may snap if there is a sudden force application. Still, the tungsten carbide tools might not. Such toughness might also result in brittleness, although not so common.
Heat Resistance: Tools made from tungsten carbide can retain their hardness and cutting edges even at elevated temperatures. Cutting edges lose their hardness due to overheating, but not so with carbide. This means the tools can be used in environments where temperatures may shoot up without the loss of strength and efficacy. This is particularly important in high-speed cutting, where friction generates heat.

How To Choose Tungsten Carbide Tools

In the quest for an ideal cutting tool for any machining operation, several factors that delineate the essential qualities of tungsten carbide tools, such as materials and geometry, need to be addressed. The following considerations apply.

Cutting Material

The material composition of the carbide will affect the performance. General-purpose material-grade tungsten carbide combines wear resistance and toughness for all-around machining. High-heat materials like cobalt-carbide are good for high-heat operations.
Tungsten grit

Tungsten grit is an aldehyde, very hard particle added to carbide to improve its wear resistance. It can be found in nail files, reamers, drill bits, inserts, and other cutting tools.
Geometrical design

Every part of the geometry of the tungsten carbide tools serves a purpose. It needs to be shaped to maximize effectiveness in different operations and materials. For example, end mills, inserts, and reamers meant for softer metals have a larger radius and a flatter angle than those that will be used on much harder steel alloys.
Tool coatings

Different coatings serve different intensities of use. Titanium nitride is a general-purpose coating that serves the tool in chemical protection, reducing friction and helping the tool last longer. Other coatings, such as aluminum titanium nitride or zirconium nitride, are aimed at harder materials. These coatings improve the coating strength or reduce heat transfer.
Tool geometry

What is meant by this factor is the design features of the tungsten carbide cutting tools. Which includes their edge shape, clearance angle, and diameter. Just like coatings, these geometrical features also serve different uses. For instance, an end mill with all-round tapered edges will function better with soft metals than one with acute-radiused edges.

Industrial Application of Tungsten Carbide Tools

Tungsten carbide tools are widely used across many industries for metal cutting, mining, oil extraction, and glass and timber manufacturing.

Machining industry

Carbide inserts, end mills, drills, reamers, and more are extensively used in the machining of steel and other hard alloys.
Mining

Carbide is used to make drill bits, reamers, and pcd cutters used for mining heavy elements like coal, iron, and tungsten itself. Mining involves drilling, cutting, and grinding in rocky terrains. This requires tools that have high strength, rigidity, and toughness. Tungsten carbide, with its ability to withstand such geotechnical difficulties, becomes the material of choice for these operations.
Oil and Gas industry

In the oil and gas industry, carbide tools are used in the drilling and reaming of oil and gas wells. These operations are done in extremely hostile environments. Temperatures can be over 2000 degrees, and the drilling tools are subjected to intense corrosive chemical and geological attack. Cobalt tungsten carbide drill bits, inserts, reamers, and other tools are able to maintain their edge and strength even under these extreme conditions. This makes it a valuable material for the tools used.
Manufacturing industry

Tungsten carbide is used to manufacture cutting tools for machining operations in the manufacture of automotive components. They may also be used in space and aeronautic industries because of their ability to withstand scorching temperatures, wear, and strength. Glass cutting tools, saw blades, and router bits also incorporate tungsten carbide.
Agricultural industry

Carbide is used to manufacture tillage tools and cutting blades for plowing, drilling, or harvesting various crops. Because these tools are used in soil and crops, they have to be made from or have a coating of tungsten carbide to last the life of the tool without ruining it.

Q&A

Q. How does tungsten carbide compare to high-speed steel?

A: Tungsten carbide has about five times the hardness of high-speed steel. It also has better wear and heat resistance than HSS, for example.

Q. What is the benefit of tungsten carbide?

A: Tungsten carbide tools have high resistance to wearing and tearing, as can be evidenced by their long life even under extreme conditions and stress. They can also be used to cut hard metals and withstand heat. They have a higher tensile and compressive strength and are chemically inert, for example, against acid and corrosion. All these properties make tungsten carbide a material of choice for applications in mining, drilling, machining, and other industrial applications.

Q. What are some disadvantages of tungsten carbide?

A: Tungsten carbide is brittle and cannot be easily rewelded when worn out. It is also heavier compared to other cutting materials. It is expensive, too, and cannot be used in applications where softer materials can suffice.

Q. Why is carbide better than cobalt?

A: Tungsten carbide has a hardness that ranks about five times harder than cobalt. This makes it better as the material of choice for cutting tools. Cobalt is often used as a binder in cemented tungsten carbides to give it some degree of toughness to resist cracking because of the stress and impacts of drilling.