The main alloying element in Aluminium alloys is Silicon, and the more Silicon is added, the more abrasive the material becomes. This means that the cutting speed has to be adjusted based on the Silicon content.
General recommendations for PCD are:
- Low Silicon (< 8%) Cutting speed 600 – 2,500 m/min
- Medium Silicon (8 to 15%) Cutting speed 450 – 1,300 m/min
- High Silicon (> 15%) Cutting speed 100 – 1,000 m/min
Seco Tools have a range of PCD-grades covering these alloys, from general grades for the low Silicon alloys to grades better suited to handle the abrasiveness of high Silicon alloys.
PCD05 is a grade that has superior performance in machining of these high Silicon Aluminium alloys. It is a small grain size grade with excellent edge toughness and wear resistance.
In a recent project, a high Silicon Aluminium alloy component was machined. The application included axial turning and facing with a RPGW0803M0F-LF insert at the following cutting data:
- Cutting speed 150 m/min
- Feed rate 0.3 mm/rev
- Depth of cut 0.5 mm
For more information, please contact your local Seco representative, or our Advanced material (PCBN/PCD/CERAMIC) team.
 | Author: Henrik Sandqvist Product Specialist SECOMAX PCBN/PCD/CERAMIC SECO TOOLS Shanghai CO., Ltd. Building 4, No 797, Puxing Road, Pujiang Town, Minhang District, Shanghai 201114, China Office: +86 21 5426 5849 Mobile: +86 185 1520 6942 e-mail: henrik.sandqvist@secotools.com |