Precision Cast Iron Machining

Whether you’re making brake discs and flywheels in grey cast iron, or crank shafts and wheel hubs in nodular cast iron, there is always a successful solution.

Over the years there have been a number of CBN grades made available for machining cast iron with CBN. Most notably are DR-80 and DR-85. These grades are made for the following applications:

For rough and semi-finish turning, milling, grooving and boring of hardened ferrous and certain softer ferrous materials:-

• Martensitic cast irons - Ni-hard - High chrome Chilled and heat treated cast irons
• Fully hardened cold-work tool steels
• Bearing steels
• High speed steels (continuous cutting only)
• Martensitic stainless steels
• Cobalt and nickel based hard facing alloys
• Fully pearlitic grey cast iron

DR-80 & DR-85 are high CBN content materials, diffusion bonded at the manufacturing stage to a tungsten carbide substrate.

DR-80 is (80% CBN) has a greater particle size than DR-85, (85% CBN). DR-80 is better for hardened steel, but DR-85 has better wear characteristics when machining cast iron with CBN, particularly when the stucture contains Ferrite.

For more information on machining with CBN Inserts
please visit David Richards Engineering UK or
David Richards Engineering US

Hard Turning with CBN

CNMA 432 Quad Edge CBN Insert Shown

Hard turning with CBN will:

• Reduce Grinding Investment
• Increase Tool Life
• Reduce Cost with Faster Cycle Times
• Lower Tool Change Down Time Costs
• Reduce Scrap Cost
• Reduce By-Product Disposal
• Extend Tool Life In High Production Hard Turn Applications
• Increase Thermal and Mechanical Shock Resistance to Handle the Most Demanding Contouring and Interrupted Cuts

Hard turning requires switching from carbide to CBN inserts. It’s easier and more economical than one would expect. The major adjustment is working with much higher surface speeds.

Earlier posts that deal with CBN Insert questions:

CBN Insert Applications

What is PCBN?