Why Ceramic Cutting Tools?
Ceramic materials have been used in the cutting industry for over 100 years. In fact, it did not take long for manufacturers in the metalworking industries to understand the benefits of using ceramics to increase productivity and efficiency in many applications. Ceramic cutting tools are constructed mainly from alumina (Al2O3) and silicon nitride (SiN). Recent advances have also introduced the use of silicon carbide (SiC) and ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) in order to enhance the performance of the cutting tool.
Each of these ceramic materials has its own particular characteristics, but, in general, they all exhibit excellent hardness, toughness and thermal conductivity. In fact, the advantages of using ceramic materials in manufacturing revolve around ceramic’s greater ability to withstand much higher temperatures than tools made from carbide or high-speed steel. Generally speaking, ceramic tools’ heat resistance exceeds 4000
