Choosing the Grade
In use of Tungsten Carbide it´s good to consider the following matters:
- It´s important to select the correct Tungsten Carbide to the use
- Very strong joint between Tungsten Carbide and for example steel can be achieved by soldering with silver, but the soldering requires specific expertise (the biggest requires is the thermal expansion coefficient of hard metal, which is only half compared to that of the tool steels).
- Tungsten Carbide can be cut and grinded by diamond tools.
- Tungsten Carbide as conductive material is possible to machine by EDM despite the pure metal amount is low. The machining speed is only third comparing to metals.
- The most common binder Cobalt is prone to acidity (already at pH 4). In acidity environment the binder can be changed for example to Nickel, which last acidity even under 1 pH values.
- Tungsten Carbide parts need special care when installing.
- There exists an ISO standard for Tungsten Carbide grades, but many manufacturers use their own commercial titles as well as other binders and Carbides. Also the same grain size can be named differently by manufacture
Our company offers latest technology Tungsten Carbide grades, where high transverse rapture strength and toughness are combined. The supplied grades have received excellent feed-back from our customers in the very challenging Finnish climate conditions.
To the most demanding use we suggest HIP-treatment (Hot Isostatic Pressing). In HIP-treatment Tungsten Carbide is sintered in a furnace under high gas pressure. In practice all porosity is possible to eliminate from Tungsten Carbide. The hardness of Tungsten Carbide will remain the same but tensile strength will increase even up to 30 %.
To the steel machining we recommend Tungsten Carbides grades combined with Tantalum Carbides. We have also grades with especial impact strength. Please ask more about these!
- It´s important to select the correct Tungsten Carbide to the use
- Very strong joint between Tungsten Carbide and for example steel can be achieved by soldering with silver, but the soldering requires specific expertise (the biggest requires is the thermal expansion coefficient of hard metal, which is only half compared to that of the tool steels).
- Tungsten Carbide can be cut and grinded by diamond tools.
- Tungsten Carbide as conductive material is possible to machine by EDM despite the pure metal amount is low. The machining speed is only third comparing to metals.
- The most common binder Cobalt is prone to acidity (already at pH 4). In acidity environment the binder can be changed for example to Nickel, which last acidity even under 1 pH values.
- Tungsten Carbide parts need special care when installing.
- There exists an ISO standard for Tungsten Carbide grades, but many manufacturers use their own commercial titles as well as other binders and Carbides. Also the same grain size can be named differently by manufacture
Our company offers latest technology Tungsten Carbide grades, where high transverse rapture strength and toughness are combined. The supplied grades have received excellent feed-back from our customers in the very challenging Finnish climate conditions.
To the most demanding use we suggest HIP-treatment (Hot Isostatic Pressing). In HIP-treatment Tungsten Carbide is sintered in a furnace under high gas pressure. In practice all porosity is possible to eliminate from Tungsten Carbide. The hardness of Tungsten Carbide will remain the same but tensile strength will increase even up to 30 %.
To the steel machining we recommend Tungsten Carbides grades combined with Tantalum Carbides. We have also grades with especial impact strength. Please ask more about these!